7 Warning Signs Your Home Needs a Repipe

If your home was built before the 1990s, there’s a good chance your plumbing system is running on borrowed time. Many homeowners don’t realize their pipes are failing until they’re dealing with a burst pipe, low water pressure, or discolored water coming out of the faucet. Knowing the warning signs early can save you thousands in water damage and emergency repairs.

Rusty or Discolored Water

Turn on your tap first thing in the morning. If the water runs brown, yellow, or has a reddish tint, that’s rust from corroding pipes, usually galvanized steel. This isn’t just unpleasant; it can affect the taste and safety of your drinking water. If it’s happening at multiple fixtures throughout the house, it’s a whole-system problem, not just one pipe.

Low Water Pressure Throughout the House

A single slow faucet might just need a new aerator. But when you’re noticing weak pressure at every tap, shower, and hose bib, the issue is almost always buildup inside the pipes themselves. Galvanized pipes corrode from the inside out, gradually narrowing the opening until water can barely pass through. No amount of faucet replacement will fix this.

Frequent Leaks and Pinhole Leaks

One leak can be a fluke. Two in the same year is a pattern. If your plumber keeps patching different sections of pipe, you’re treating symptoms instead of the disease. Pinhole leaks in copper pipes are especially common in areas with aggressive water chemistry, and the Bay Area has its share of water quality variations depending on your city and water district.

Visible Pipe Corrosion

Take a look at exposed pipes in your garage, basement, crawl space, or under sinks. Green discoloration on copper, white mineral deposits, or flaking and rust on galvanized steel are all signs of active corrosion. If the outside looks that bad, imagine what’s happening inside where the water actually flows.

Your Home Still Has Galvanized Steel Pipes

Galvanized steel pipes were standard in homes built through the 1960s and into the early 1970s. They were given a zinc coating to prevent rust, but that coating breaks down over decades. Once it does, the steel rusts rapidly. If your home still has original galvanized plumbing, a repipe isn’t a matter of if: it’s when.

Water Temperature Fluctuations

If your shower goes from comfortable to scalding or ice-cold without anyone else running water, corroded pipes could be restricting flow and causing pressure imbalances. This is especially noticeable in homes with older plumbing where different pipe sections have deteriorated at different rates.

What to Do Next

If you’re seeing two or more of these signs, it’s worth getting a professional evaluation. A licensed plumber can inspect your system, identify the pipe material, and give you an honest assessment of whether repairs will hold or if a full repipe is the smarter long-term investment. Most reputable companies offer free inspections, and the peace of mind alone is worth the call.