PIPE REPLACEMENT

GALVANIZED, COPPER, CAST IRON, ABS & REROUTING

There are times when the pipes in and around our home are better off replaced instead of repaired. These instances vary, but generally replacement is a better option depending on the age and style of pipe your home is using.

Hawaii homes have long since dealt with issues related to outdated building materials. In fact, more than 20% of Hawaii homes were built prior to 1960, which means that the materials used to build them may be wearing down and causing issues. One such material that could be causing harm is galvanized pipes.

Galvanized pipes are steel pipes that are dipped in protective zinc coatings to prevent corrosion. They sound great, but they are proving to be more troublesome than expected. Used since the 1800’s, galvanized pipes were great because they were far better than lead piping. However, it has since been determined that galvanized pipes can react to the natural minerals in water and cause rusting and corrosion. This leads to major plumbing issues that, left unfixed, can be potentially dangerous.

Therefore, if your home has galvanized pipes and you are experiencing plumbing issues such a slow water pressure, it might be a good idea to think about pipe replacement. Some other signs to look for include: