Honestly, I’m a “rip the Band-Aid off” type—if you’ve got one bad section, odds are the rest isn’t far behind. I’ve seen folks patch a spot, only to chase leaks for months. PEX is a game changer for speed, but yeah, water taste can be weird at first. Usually settles after a week or two. Pressure’s been solid in my experience, but if you’ve got old fixtures, sometimes they’re the real culprit. Copper’s great, but PEX is just so much easier to work with, especially in tight spots.
I get where you’re coming from—patching feels like a temporary fix, and honestly, I worry about what’s lurking behind the walls. I’m all for safety first, so the idea of just replacing everything at once makes sense, even if it’s a pain up front. I did hear from a neighbor that PEX can sometimes get chewed by rodents, though... not sure how common that is, but it made me pause. Still, the speed and flexibility are hard to beat, especially if you’re not super handy. I’d rather deal with a week of weird-tasting water than a surprise leak under the floor.
I get the hesitation about PEX and rodents—heard that one too, and it freaked me out a bit at first. But honestly, every pipe material has its own headache. Copper can corrode, old galvanized gets gross inside, and PVC just feels flimsy to me. I went with PEX when I bought my place last year, mainly because it was way cheaper and the plumber could snake it through without tearing up all my walls. Haven’t had any rodent issues (knock on wood), but I did make sure to seal up any obvious gaps in the crawlspace.
Patching is just kicking the can down the road, in my opinion. If you’re already worried about what’s behind the walls, ripping the bandaid off now saves you from a 2am water disaster later. The weird-tasting water thing is real, but it goes away pretty quick. I’d rather deal with that than mold or water damage. If you’re not super handy, PEX is about as forgiving as it gets. Just don’t cheap out on the fittings—learned that the hard way...
Haven’t had any rodent issues (knock on wood), but I did make sure to seal up any obvious gaps in the crawlspace. Patching is just kicking the can down the road, in my opinion.
I get where you’re coming from, but I’m not totally sold on the “patching is just kicking the can down the road” idea. Sometimes a well-done patch can buy you years, especially if you’re not ready to gut your place or drop a ton of cash. I’ve seen old copper last decades with just a couple repairs. Full replacement is great if you’ve got the budget and time, but it’s not always the only smart move. Just my two cents.
Honestly, I’ve been in the “patch it till you can’t” camp for years.
Couldn’t agree more. I mean, if you’re dealing with a tiny pinhole and the rest of the pipe’s solid, why rip everything out? That said, if you’re patching every other month or you start seeing green corrosion all over, that’s when I start thinking about full replacement. Otherwise, I’d rather spend my money on stuff tenants actually notice—like working heat or a decent fridge.“Sometimes a well-done patch can buy you years, especially if you’re not ready to gut your place or drop a ton of cash.”
