What is Copper Repiping?

Unless you're a plumber or other construction professional, you probably have no idea what copper repiping is. Basically, copper repiping is completely refitting all of the existing pipes in a home or a business. Why do you need to do a copper repipe though, especially if there's nothing wrong with the existing pipes? Well, the main reason is that homes and other buildings built over 25 years ago were built with iron pipes that were coated with zinc. These galvanized pipes, however, have an issue—as they get older, the zinc lining will start to erode. This allows rust to form on your pipes. As they rust, you'll have to start replacing your pipes. Instead of replacing these galvanized pipes with other galvanized pipes that will eventually need to be replaced again, most people choose to replace them with copper pipes. This process is called copper repiping.

Copper is the best material for indoor pipes because it's durable, safe, lightweight, and, unlike galvanized pipes, it does not rust. It's also very flexible. Plumbers can bend copper pipes so that they fit within any space. This makes it especially easy to repipe older homes with copper since plumbers can bend the pipes to fit as necessary.

Your pipes are made up of two parts: water pressure and volume. Water pressure is how strong the water coming out of your faucets is, while water volume is the amount of water that flows through your pipes. When either of these drops, it can mean it's time for you to do a copper repipe on your home.

Most people first notice a decrease in water pressure. This can be a big problem in homes. It can cause your washing machine to fill up much more slowly, make it more difficult to shower, and make it harder to water your flowers and garden. There's nothing worse than getting in the shower and finding that you have very low water pressure. You'll especially notice a lack of water pressure when doing things that involve using a lot of water, such as watering your garden.

Sometimes, though, you may not notice a decrease in water pressure. Instead, you might see your tap water start to look a little different. This discoloration can be caused by rust. It can also make your tap smell oddly or leak. Sometimes, this can be due to other issues. To discover what the problem is, you should call in a plumber and see if he recommends a full copper repiping.

Copper repiping is a major repair for your home. It's going to take a good amount of time and it's going to be fairly expensive. It's not a project you can do yourself unless you have experience with plumbing. Instead, if you need to have a copper repiping done in your home, you should call a professional.