With home prices in Portland, OR, on the rise, many owners are considering remodeling projects to fit their lifestyle. This a new addition to the family, making room for a parent, or even building a home office. And while you may be thinking about moving some walls around, don’t forget about what’s inside those walls.
If your home is 100, 75, or even 50 years old, you may want to think about having your plumbing systems inspected. Different types of pipes have been used over the last century, so it may be time for a repiping. Especially if you’re drinking water isn’t as clear as it should be or you’re lacking appropriate pressure.
Deciding to replace copper pipes with PEX in your home is one of the most important undertakings a homeowner can invest in. Particularly if your pipes are made from galvanized material, copper, or are broken and outdated. If you have observed a dramatic drop in water pressure, leaks, corroded pipes, or dirty water, replacing copper pipes with Pex can help.
The Benefits of Pex
Pex (cross-linked polyethylene) is a durable, yet pliable, material that can stand temperatures up to 200 degrees and resists freezing weather as well. It can also be much faster to install because there are fewer joints to deal with and can be bent around corners and other tight spots.
Pex tubing produces a number of positive changes. First, your water will taste better than it has in a long time, and will be free of rust particles and contaminants. Second, your water pressure will be strong, noticeable both in the shower and when you fill your washing machine for a load of laundry.
In addition, a Pex tubing repipe can help prevent the serious danger associated with slab leaks. If your home is built on a slab, broken pipes can easily leak water into the cracks in this concrete base, potentially causing mold and deterioration, loss of structural integrity, and eventually, thousands of dollars in repair costs.
Furthermore, the danger of ignoring old piping is that you may not know you have a leak until the damage is already done. Crawlspaces and basement pipes hidden by sheetrock are particularly susceptible to breakage that fails to show for long periods of time.
What Happens During a Repipe?
Although whole-home or room-specific re-pipes are common, they often require old walls and flooring to be removed and any old pipes pulled out of the wall. The time needed for a repipe is affected by the size of the home. Other factors in replacing copper pipes with Pex include the distance of the new piping, location, and which level of the floor the repipe takes place.
Broken or malfunctioning pipes on upper levels of a home can take extra time to repair, while ground-floor repipes can be the simplest to complete due to accessibility. In either case, be sure to discuss the issues with your plumbing team ahead of time so they can specifically target the right areas.
Whether repiping your entire home or just part of it, shared knowledge is essential for a streamlined process. Obviously, the water will need to be turned off before the repiping takes place. So we’ll try to schedule a time you’ll be away from the home.
Other services, such as electrical systems or telecommunication wiring, may also add to the amount of time it takes to replace plumbing pipes. These supply lines usually run along the same walls because kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms use both plumbing and electrical.
Pex pipes produce clean water, excellent water pressure, and long-lasting service to your home. If you are experiencing plumbing issues in your home or own an older property that has never been repiped, replacing old pipes with copper is an excellent choice.
Work With the Plumbing Professionals in Portland, Oregon
Although Pex piping has been used for decades, it’s not as common as PVC or copper piping. Installing Pex plumbing is also quite a bit different than other pipes too, requiring special tools and other materials. If you’re using an inexperienced plumber, they could be doing more harm than good.
Meticulous Plumbing has been using Pex tubing for years now and understands the differences between working with this product and other materials. Not in a position to replace all of your plumbing? We can connect the Pex tubing to existing copper lines as well.
In addition to repiping the home, we also provide water heater repair and installation, water supply pipe inspections, fixture relocations, shutoff valve replacements, and other plumbing repairs and maintenance. We are locally owned and offer plumbing system inspections to head off any future issues. Reach out to Meticulous Plumbing if you’re thinking about a home repipe or any other plumbing requests.
