When plumbing is getting old, how can you tell how long it will last?

My spidey sense is tingling. I believe this guy may be trying to hose you.

First, there are two main types of plumbing - water lines and drainage lines.

Water lines typically are made in copper, however I have seen some houses with lead, galvanized and pex (plastic) piping. Lead, copper and pex are virtually ageless and should last many many years. Galvanized water lines are typically silvery color and screwed together rather than soldered or clipped. Unfortunately galvanized lines do not last as long as the other water lines.

Drainage lines are typically made in copper, cast iron, galvanized, ABS (black plastic), PVC (grey plastic) and sometimes lead. Depending on your water and what you are sending into the drain, you may need to replace copper or galvanized lines. ABS, cast iron, PVC and lead are virtually ageless and shouldnt need replacing in your lifetime.

What are the signs?

Well, immediately any water leaks will signify a problem. I would monitor the areas that are most prone to trouble. These would include the P Trap (thats the "U" shaped piece of plumbing under the sink) and the trap adaptor that connects the drainage to the base of your sink.

Beyond this, if you have copper pipe, if you start seeing green pitting, it may be a sign of a future problem. If you have galvanized lines, a potential failure of the pipe or fittings.will show rusty brown color due to oxidization.

I have NEVER seen the need to replace the entire plumbing unless the home owner wanted to gut the house and start over. Instead, I have seen repairs that are planned, budgeted and even tendered. Suggesting a complete overhaul is suspicious at the least.

Get a second, third and fourth opinion. There is nothing wrong with it and you can save a lot of money.

Let us know what happens.

Usually the life of plumbing is dependent on the water condition. Galvanized piping rots out faster when the zinc plating is washed out. But this is not the usual case. Most failures are due to calcified deposits closing off the passage of the pipes. Traditional re-piping involves removing the lath or gypsum board on the wall so the pipe can be properly mounted. It is a small matter to repair the wall. usually harder to repaint. ( color matching and all..) You will certainly want to get the best of 3 bids on this kind of job, and be sure if the wall repair is included in the bid. If the pipe failure was due to rotting out then I understand why the plumber would suggest it. But if it is copper pipe or such, rotting does not occur unless you have acidic water. (unthinkable). These joints are simply cleaned and re-soldiered. Look for discolorations near the line of the pipe to indicate wetness from leakage. Listen to the wall and especially to the pipe. You can hear the leak. Look at the base boards and floor to find signs of water staining. These are a few clues to leaks. Leaks don't go away so you are looking for 'wet' signs. The only outer signs of failure in a pipe are bulging and visible corrosion. that is when the damage is immanent. But the real signs of pipe health are inside the pipe. You would need to run a bore scope into the pipe to see this. (yup, endoscopy for plumbers.)

Plumbers always tell you you need to re-pipe the house. I don't know the answer on when you do, sorry to say. But on my old house I've found I could limp along with an occasional fix maybe every five years, at a cost of $150 - so far anyway.

You know, I need re-piped too - and a new car, a young dog and a nice jet. Well any jet. Well, not a fighter, which you can get old fighters - they only go like 50 miles tho before they need fuel. And it's a bit dramatic to land in a MIG.

I do know this tho - yes they can and do run new pipe through the attic. Pipe is cheap. If you could get someone to do the labor fairly cheaply, you can actually do a lot of plumbing for a few hundred dollars.

The life of pipe depends on the type of pipe and the quality of your water. Galvanized pipe has a short life span which is why it isn't used any more. Copper pipe lasts almost forever under normal conditions but if you have hard water, its life can be shortened.

Most plumbing problems including leaks are at the fixtures or connections under sinks etc. You could inspect all your visible plumbing and look for any signs of corrosion or anything else that looks different.

Talk to your neighbors, especially the older ones. They could tell you about plumbing "history" in your area.

Galvanized iron pipe does have a limited life..

If that's what you've got, there are certain signs that it's beginning

to rust out that an experienced plumber can spot.

The first small leak at a corroded joint could be one of them.

Do get a second opinion though.

You'd better ask some other professional worker to check with you, because different pipes get older has different signs!! Good luck for you!

844