Whole-house repiping might sound like an extreme solution, but in many cases, it’s the smarter, more cost-effective path. Instead of continuing to patch failing pipes and absorb the cost of water damage, a full repipe addresses the problem at its source—once and for all.

In this article, we’ll walk through five signs your home may be due for repiping. If you’re noticing any of these, it might be time to stop fixing symptoms and start thinking about long-term solutions.

#1 Frequent Leaks in Different Parts of the Home

A plumbing leak here and there isn’t unusual. But if you’ve had two or more leaks in the past year—or if they’re showing up in different areas of the home—it may be a sign that your plumbing system is breaking down, not just aging.

In older homes, especially those built before the 1980s, many original plumbing systems used galvanized steel, early copper, or even polybutylene. These materials corrode, become brittle, or develop pinhole leaks over time. The result? Pipes begin to fail in multiple places, often without warning.

If you’re repeatedly patching leaks, you’re not solving the real problem—you’re just treating symptoms. And every repair adds up in both cost and disruption.

What Repeated Leaks Really Mean

When pipes begin to fail system-wide, it’s not just the pipe itself that’s the issue. The joints may be failing. Mineral buildup inside the line may be causing pressure spikes. Or, in many cases, corrosion has simply reached a tipping point.

Homeowners often spend thousands in a few years chasing isolated repairs:

• Cutting into finished walls and ceilings
• Replacing short sections of copper or galvanized pipe
• Drywall repair, paint touchups, and cleanup after each fix

That piecemeal approach gets expensive—fast. And while a full repipe may feel like a major step, it’s often less costly than continued emergency repairs, especially when you factor in the risk of water damage, mold, and insurance complications.

Pro Tip: Look for Evidence of Past Repairs

If you see access panels in walls or ceilings, mismatched drywall patches, or sections of exposed pipe that look newer than others, it’s a clue the system’s already been partially repaired. That usually means the prior owner was dealing with leaks too—and the problems are likely to continue.

#2: Discolored Water or Metallic Taste

If you turn on the tap and notice brownish, yellow, or cloudy water—especially when the water hasn’t run for a while—it’s often a sign that your pipes are deteriorating from the inside out. Likewise, if your water has a metallic or sour taste, that can indicate rust, corrosion, or mineral buildup within aging pipes.

These symptoms are especially common in homes with galvanized steel or aging copper piping, both of which break down over time. Galvanized pipes are coated in zinc, which erodes and allows rust to form. Copper can develop corrosion known as pitting, which sheds metal particles into the water supply.

Why Discolored Water Is a Red Flag

You might be tempted to write off discolored water as a temporary issue—maybe it clears up after running the tap for a few seconds. But what you’re seeing isn’t just an aesthetic problem; it’s a physical breakdown of your plumbing infrastructure.

When internal corrosion builds up:

• Rust and scale loosen and enter your water supply.
• Pipe walls become thin and more prone to pinhole leaks.
• Flow rate decreases as buildup narrows the pipe’s interior.
• Fixtures like faucets and shower heads clog more quickly.

Over time, even minor corrosion can create a systemic failure, and it’s usually a matter of when, not if, the pipes start leaking.

Health & Appliance Impacts

While occasional discoloration isn’t always hazardous, prolonged exposure to rust and metal contaminants can cause problems, particularly for:

• Children, older adults, or immunocompromised individuals
• Laundry (stains from oxidized water)
• Water heaters and appliances, which corrode faster and lose efficiency

In commercial or rental properties, tenants often perceive discolored water as a sign of neglect—even if it’s harmless. For property managers, this is a common source of complaints and service requests.

Pro Tip: How to Differentiate the Source

If discolored water only appears in hot water, the issue may be isolated to the water heater. But if it’s present in cold and hot water, or appears in multiple taps after the water has been sitting for a while, it’s usually a sign of failing supply lines.

#3: Low Water Pressure Throughout the House

If you’re noticing weak flow at multiple fixtures—slow showers, underperforming faucets, or washing machines that take forever to fill—it’s probably not just a clogged aerator or faulty valve. Consistently low water pressure across your entire home is a classic sign of aging pipes that are restricting flow from the inside.

Over time, pipes accumulate mineral buildup, rust, and internal corrosion that narrows the diameter of the supply line. In older systems—especially galvanized steel or copper installed 30+ years ago—this buildup can reduce water flow by 50% or more, even if the pipes look intact from the outside.

How to Tell It’s a System-Wide Issue

Low pressure at a single faucet? That’s usually an isolated issue—a blocked aerator or local shutoff valve.
But if your entire house has lost pressure, including outdoor spigots, showers, and appliances, you’re likely dealing with one of two things:

• Internal corrosion or buildup inside old pipes
• Undersized or deteriorating supply lines that can no longer support your home’s water demand

This is especially common in homes built in the mid-20th century, which were never designed to handle modern plumbing loads—multiple bathrooms, dishwashers, irrigation systems, etc.

What Makes This Worse Over Time

Corroded pipes are not only narrower—they’re also rough on the inside. That means more friction, more turbulence, and lower pressure at every fixture. As pressure drops, appliances like water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers become less efficient—and more prone to failure.

It’s also not uncommon to see pressure drop in stages. Maybe it starts with one bathroom, then slowly expands to the whole house. By the time you notice the difference in every room, the system has likely degraded beyond simple repair.

The Hidden Costs of “Living With It”

A lot of homeowners adjust to low water pressure gradually—turning on multiple taps, buying pressure boosters, or simply dealing with weak showers. But the hidden costs add up:

• Longer appliance cycles = higher energy bills
• Harder wear on water heaters and plumbing fixtures
• Frequent callbacks from tenants or family complaints

In commercial or multi-unit settings, this can become a liability—especially if residents associate poor water flow with poor maintenance.

Pro Tip: A Repipe Restores Performance

A whole-house repipe using modern PEX piping restores full pressure and consistent performance throughout the property. It also eliminates the guesswork: no more chasing intermittent issues or over-investing in short-term fixes.

#4: Your Home Was Built Before the 1980s

If your home was built before 1980 and the plumbing has never been updated, it’s likely time to start thinking about a full repipe. Most of the materials used in residential plumbing during that era—galvanized steel, early copper, and in some cases polybutylene—are now well past their expected service life.

Galvanized steel pipes, for example, were common through the 1950s and 60s. They typically last 40–50 years under ideal conditions—but conditions are rarely ideal. Corrosion, mineral buildup, and internal rust cause these systems to degrade from the inside, often without visible symptoms until a leak or failure occurs.

Portland’s Housing Stock Is Especially Vulnerable

Portland has an abundance of mid-century and early 20th-century homes, many of which still rely on original plumbing.

Even if you’ve had minor repairs or visible updates—like a new water heater or a copper line added for a remodel—that doesn’t necessarily mean the main plumbing lines have been replaced. Many homes in the Portland area have a patchwork of old and new pipes, with critical components like horizontal runs, risers, or crawlspace piping left untouched.

Pro Tip: How to Check for Original Plumbing

If you’re not sure whether your home has ever been repiped, here are some telltale signs:

• Inconsistent pipe materials in visible areas (e.g., galvanized pipe connected to copper or PEX)
• Visible corrosion on pipes in crawlspaces, basements, or utility rooms
• Repeated plumbing repairs without a known full-system update

You can also check your inspection report (if you still have it), or ask a licensed plumber to perform a plumbing inspection.

#5: Signs of Water Damage With No Visible Source

Not all plumbing failures announce themselves with a dramatic burst pipe. In fact, some of the most damaging leaks happen slowly and silently—inside walls, beneath floors, or in hard-to-access crawlspaces. By the time you notice something’s wrong, the pipe has likely been leaking for weeks or even months.

One of the most overlooked signs that you may need whole-house repiping is the presence of water damage without a clear explanation.

Below are common signs you may have water damage:

• Persistent damp smells in kitchens, bathrooms, or utility closets
• Bubbling or cracking paint on interior walls or ceilings
• Warped or cupping hardwood floors
• Mold or mildew spots that keep returning after cleaning
• Soft spots in drywall or sagging sheetrock near plumbing chases

These issues are often chalked up to “humidity” or minor spills—but when they persist, they’re usually the result of moisture intrusion from leaking pipes. In older plumbing systems, this often means pinhole leaks or failing joints that allow small but steady water loss.

Why You May Not Find a Source Immediately

In aging systems, pipe corrosion often starts internally. Water slowly seeps through weakened pipe walls, especially under pressure. Because these leaks are slow, they don’t create dramatic flooding—but they saturate materials over time, leading to mold growth, structural damage, and high humidity that affects the whole home.

To make matters worse, water often travels along framing or conduit before it becomes visible. That means the stain on your ceiling could be coming from a bathroom two rooms away—or even from a pipe in the floor above.

The Insurance Implications

Many homeowners are surprised to learn that their insurance policy may not cover long-term water damage caused by “wear and tear” or “maintenance neglect.” If your insurer determines the damage could have been prevented with timely system maintenance—such as repiping an obviously aging system—your claim could be reduced or denied.

That’s why it pays to investigate any unexplained signs of water damage promptly, especially in older homes with known plumbing risks.

Time to Stop Chasing Leaks

Old pipes don’t fail all at once—they fail in stages. One year it’s a leak behind the washer. The next, it’s low water pressure or rust-colored water from the tap. Before long, you’re spending more on patchwork fixes than it would cost to simply repipe the home.

Whole-house repiping sounds like a major project—and years ago, it was. But today’s materials and methods make it faster, cleaner, and more affordable than most people expect. In fact, many homeowners are surprised to learn that a full repipe can cost less than the cumulative repairs and water damage they’ve already paid for.

Think It Might Be Time? Let’s Take a Look.

We offer straightforward assessments—no pressure, just facts. If a repipe makes sense, we’ll walk you through the options, costs, and timelines. If not, we’ll tell you that, too.