When Repairs Stop Making Sense
A single leak on sound pipe is a repair. A second or third in the same year, on the same type of pipe, is a pattern. Pipes wear from the inside, so the next failure is usually only a matter of time.
Repiping makes sense when leaks keep coming, pressure and flow have dropped, water runs brown after sitting, or the home still has a pipe material with a known failure record. It also makes sense before a remodel opens the walls anyway.
Copper or PEX: What We Would Tell a Friend
Copper
- Long track record when installed well
- Rigid, so it needs more joints and fittings
- Soldered joints are slower to install
- Higher material cost than PEX
- Can pinhole in aggressive water or with poor installation
PEX
- Flexible, fewer fittings and less cutting
- Faster to install, often less opening in walls
- Not suited to direct sun exposure
- Lower material cost than copper
- Fitting quality and crimp work matter
Neither is wrong. Copper suits owners who want metal in the walls and accept the extra labor. PEX suits owners who want the least disruption. Check your ACWD water quality report, which lists the disinfectant and hardness of your supply, and ask us how it applies to the material you prefer.
Old Pipe We Replace Most Often
| Pipe type | Problem | Our take |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized steel | Rusts and narrows inside, losing pressure and tinting the water. | Replace. ACWD says galvanized service lines are common in pre-1960 homes. |
| Polybutylene (gray plastic) | Used in many homes in the 1970s to 1990s, and known for failing at fittings. | Replace if found. Ask for an inspection of attic, crawlspace and water heater connections. |
| Old copper with pinholes | Pinhole leaks appear and then repeat nearby. | Patch once. If it repeats, repipe the run. |
| Mixed or patched lines | Different metals and many repairs make the system unpredictable. | A clean replacement is often easier to maintain. |
Pinhole leak again?
Call the 24/7 line and describe where the last repair was and how old the plumbing is. We will say if it looks like a patch or a repipe.
Whole-House or Partial?
Partial repipe
One bathroom, a kitchen run or the hot lines only. It suits a localized problem or a remodel, and costs less up front.
Whole-house repipe
Every supply line replaced, including to the water heater. It ends the cycle of leaks and gives uniform pressure.
Trade-off
A partial job leaves old pipe elsewhere, which may fail later. Splicing new pipe to old can also hurt flow if the connected sections differ.
Our approach
We tell you which sections are in worse shape, then you choose how much to do now.
What Happens During a Repipe
Walkthrough
We look at pipe materials, access, fixtures and the water heater. We note where holes in drywall are likely.
Plan and permit
We lay out the new routes and plan for the permit and inspection.
Shut off and rough in
Water is off during the work, and new lines go in through walls, attic or crawlspace.
Test and inspect
The system is pressure tested and, where required, inspected before any wall is closed.
Patch and restore
Holes are patched to paint-ready. Finish painting and texture work are usually separate.
Permits and Who May Do the Work
Union City's permit guidance says a plumbing permit is needed for most construction, and that replacing concealed defective pipe is treated as new work needing a permit and inspection. The rule for your specific job can differ, so ask the Building Division at 510.675.5313 before work starts.
California also requires a contractor's license for work valued at 1,000 dollars or more in labor and materials, which most repipes exceed. Check any contractor on the CSLB website or at 800-321-2752.
A whole-house repipe is built to the California Plumbing Code, which is based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC), with approved materials, correct support spacing and pressure testing. Ask the contractor how the system will be tested before the walls are closed.
Source type: City of Union City Building Division documents and California Contractors State License Board
What Drives the Cost of Repiping
Access, Drywall and Living Through It
Expect small access holes in walls and ceilings, often in closets and utility areas first. Water will be off for part of each working day, so plan for it. We tell you how long the shutoff will run before we start.
Access varies by house. Attic and crawlspace homes are the easiest, while slab homes may need new lines routed through walls or the attic. We also serve Fremont, as described on the Fremont emergency plumber page.
Repiping Questions
Both work when installed well. PEX is quicker with less wall opening, and copper has a longer track record. The right choice depends on your priorities and the home.
Look for gray plastic pipe, often near the water heater or where the water line enters the house. A plumber can identify it quickly.
Union City's guidance says concealed defective pipe replaced with new pipe is new work needing a permit. Confirm with the Building Division at 510.675.5313.
Yes. A kitchen, a bathroom or the hot lines can be done separately, but old pipe elsewhere may fail later.
If the cause is rust or buildup in old galvanized lines, yes. If the cause is the street supply or a regulator, no, and we will check first.
Water is usually off for part of each working day. We tell you the plan before we start so you can arrange around it.