People who own older homes that have existing galvanized pipes as part of their plumbing maze will usually consider an entire repipe one way or another down the road. Galvanized pipes tend to get clogged with sediments very easily, and it won’t be long before they’re totally obstructed by dirt and debris, thus preventing any trickle of water from seeping through. This is especially evident if one tinkers around with the water flow at the faucets or is constantly removing the aerator located at one end of the faucet to clean out any existing debris.
Needless to say, it won’t be long before this back-breaking job results in a total plumbing mayhem-meltdown combo in the house. The galvanized pipe will most certainly rupture as it ages, and no amount of divine intervention can unclog the sediment wedged firmly within its confines. Crawling around under the house can be risky, and lord help the poor soul that has concrete slabs as their home’s foundation – it will probably need some breaking into to access those pesky pipes.
Thus, repiping is probably the best option and solution to all the plumbing woes of older homes.
Take cross-linked polyethylene or PEX repiping, for example. Besides the standard copper piping or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping that governs most modern homes these days, PEX pipes are probably one of the strongest and most durable pipes of all time. Copper piping on the other hand, requires cutting and soldering the pieces together using a nap torch kit, solder and flux. With the PVC pipes, all one has to do is to glue the fittings together with a strong water-resistant adhesive. The PEX pipes utilize compression fittings to connect the adjoining pieces, and are by far the easiest set of pipes to assemble and fix manually.
Do take note that the materials mentioned above tag along with its own set of thickness and ratings. The thicker or higher the rating of a material, the higher the overall cost – so expect to fork out a lot of green notes if a high grade pipe is in mind.
Of course, the best way one can evaluate if the cost of a material is worth purchasing is by determining the type of property one resides in. If the present home is a permanent residence, then by all means, stretch out that wallet and flip out that cash to get better quality materials. If the property is a rental, then one can afford to be slightly stingy and forgo the more costly piping options. humble-plumbing.us
If one is a whizz with tools, then one need not fear tackling the plumbing issues that might crop up. All one has to do is purchase the right material for long term use, and one can happily implement all the plumbing plans they desire.