Signs your home may need a repipe
- Pinhole leaks in more than one place, or repeated repairs on the same line.
- Rusty, brown or metallic-tasting water that does not clear.
- Low pressure at many fixtures, especially in homes with older galvanized steel.
- Visible corrosion, green crust or flaking at joints and valves.
- Walls with stains in several rooms from different lines.
Repipe or keep repairing?
A single repair on a sound system is the better choice. A repipe is worth considering when the pipe material is old, failures are spread through the house and each repair costs time and damage.
Keep repairing when
- One isolated failure in a sound system
- The pipe material is modern and in good shape
- The cause was freezing or a one-off event
Repipe when
- Failures keep appearing in different places
- Old galvanized or corroded pipe is behind the walls
- Low pressure and discolored water point to internal corrosion
PEX or copper: how we help you decide
| Pipe | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| PEX | Flexible, quicker to run through walls, resists freeze splitting better than rigid pipe | Not for outdoor sun exposure, and it needs approved fittings |
| Copper | Long track record, rigid and durable | Higher material cost, more labor, can suffer from corrosion in some water |
Either can be right. We explain the trade-offs for your house and let you choose, and a service line problem is covered under water service line repair.
Wondering if your pipes are due?
Call and describe the age of the house and the problem. We will say whether a repipe is worth pricing.
Repiping in Wilsonville homes
Wilsonville's oldest and newest housing sit side by side, and the city's lead service line inventory found zero lead in 367 private lines built before 1986. That is good news, but it describes the line from the meter, and the city notes it cannot control the plumbing inside your home, so a pipe inspection in a pre-1986 house is still worth doing.
Homes in Charbonneau, which began in 1972, are the ones most likely to have original supply pipe. In newer Villebois and Frog Pond homes a repipe is rare, and a repair or a warranty claim is the better first move.
Ask the Wilsonville building division whether a repipe needs a permit. The city runs an online portal for building, plumbing, mechanical and fire permits, and the work should be done to the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code.
How a repipe goes
Assess
We trace the existing lines, check pressure and look for failures.
Plan
You get the pipe choice, the route and a clear price.
Install
New lines are run through walls, attic or crawlspace with minimal drywall opening.
Test and patch
We pressure test, reconnect fixtures and discuss drywall patching.
What affects the price of a repipe
A clear price comes before work starts. These are the main details.
Related plumbing services
Before committing, a leak survey can show whether one failure is the whole story, and urgent breaks go to burst pipe repair. We work in Sherwood and nearby towns too.
What to do before the crew arrives
Repiping is planned work, and the dispatcher explains the steps on the call. Ask which edition of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code applies to your job and whether a permit is required, and confirm both with the Wilsonville building division.
- Find the main water shutoff and make sure it turns fully closed.
- Clear a path to the water heater, the main shutoff and any exposed pipe in the crawlspace or basement.
- Move furniture and valuables away from walls that may be opened.
- Do not touch electrical outlets or switches near a wet wall or ceiling.
- Plan for a day or more without water on the day the lines are swapped.
Frequently asked questions
Repeated leaks in different places, discolored water and low pressure from old pipe are signs. An assessment shows the pipe's condition and whether repair or replacement is the better route.
It depends on the size of the house and access, and the technician gives you an honest estimate with the price.
Usually yes, with water shut off for part of each day. We discuss the plan so you know when water will be off.
Neither is better for every home. PEX is flexible and quicker to install, and copper has a long record, and we explain the trade-offs.
We aim to open as little as possible, but some drywall access is usually needed. Patching is separate from plumbing.
Permit rules vary by job, so ask the Wilsonville building division.