Had a tenant call me once at 2am because their “ceiling was raining”—turns out, a little copper pinhole had turned into Niagara Falls. If you’re already opening up walls, I’d say swap it. Peace of mind’s worth a lot, trust me.
Yeah, that’s a nightmare scenario. Once you’ve seen water pouring out of a ceiling, you never quite trust those old pipes again. I had a similar thing happen in my first place—tiny leak behind the wall, didn’t notice until the paint started bubbling. By then, it was a mess.
I totally get wanting to swap things out while you’ve got access. It’s just way easier (and cheaper) to do it now than after everything’s finished and you’re patching up drywall for the second time. Even if the pipes look alright on the outside, you never know what’s going on inside after decades of use.
Some folks say “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but with plumbing, I’m more in the “better safe than sorry” camp. Peace of mind is huge, especially if you’re renting the place out or just don’t want to deal with emergencies at weird hours. Plus, new pipes usually mean better water pressure and fewer weird noises in the walls.
I guess it’s not always necessary to replace every single run, but if you’re already doing demo and the budget allows, it’s hard to argue against it. Just feels good knowing you won’t wake up to an indoor waterfall one day...
I’ve seen too many “if it ain’t broke” pipes burst at the worst possible moment. Had a copper line corrode from the inside out—looked fine until it just split. If you’re opening walls anyway, swapping them is such a relief later. Peace of mind is worth it.
If you’re opening walls anyway, swapping them is such a relief later. Peace of mind is worth it.
- Couldn’t agree more on the “peace of mind” part. I’ve lost count of how many times folks regret not replacing pipes when they had the chance. Once those walls are closed up, it’s like Murphy’s Law just starts lurking.
- About copper lines—yeah, they can look perfect on the outside and be a ticking time bomb inside. I’ve seen pinhole leaks that only show up as a weird stain on drywall months later. By then, you’re looking at water damage, mold, and a much bigger headache than just swapping out a pipe.
- If you’re already tearing into walls for any reason (remodel, electrical, whatever), it’s almost always worth it to check the plumbing. Even if it’s just a section or two that looks sketchy, better to deal with it now than risk a midnight flood.
- Old galvanized? Don’t even get me started. If you see rust or notice water pressure dropping, that stuff’s living on borrowed time.
- That said, sometimes people go overboard and rip out perfectly good copper or PEX just because it’s “old.” Not always necessary—if there’s no corrosion, no leaks, and the water quality’s good, I’ll leave well enough alone unless we’re already in there for something else.
- Quick tip: if you see greenish stains or crusty buildup on copper joints, that’s your early warning sign. Ignore it and you’re rolling the dice.
I get wanting to save money or avoid extra work, but nothing ruins your weekend like an unexpected geyser behind the fridge...
- Really agree with checking everything if you’re already opening up the walls. I’ve seen people skip it to save a few bucks, only to end up tearing everything out again a year later after a hidden leak.
- One thing I’d add: sometimes copper pipes get pitted from aggressive water, and you won’t see it until there’s a pinhole. If your area’s got hard or acidic water, it might make sense to be more proactive.
- Curious—anyone here ever try pipe lining instead of full replacement? I’ve heard mixed things about longevity, but never actually seen it used in a house around here...