How to tell if your pipes need replacing

Many Oakland County Plumbing residents ask us, “How do I know if I need to replace my pipes?” Even more Macomb County Plumbing residents in historic neighborhoods ask “What are the signs my plumbing needs to be replaced?”. We’ve put together this list of warning signs and opportunities that you might need to replace your plumbing system, or at least perform some maintenance.

Corrosion is a warning sign - your pipes are going to go. Unless you want to call Go-To Pro Plumbing for emergency service at 4am, you need to take control of the situation. Metal corrodes the environment around it - particularly for houses with damp crawl spaces or unfinished basements. So how do you know if your pipes are corroded?

• You see rust flakes in your water, or a red-brown discoloration.
• You experience low water pressure due to leakage.
• There is a metallic taste to the water.
• You can see chunky flakes or rust marks on the exposed pipes.
• Dimpling in the tubes that indicates areas of weakness.

While you may be able to replace only the pipes with signs of corrosion, your entire system needs to be inspected by the Go-To Pro Plumbing team.

While many slow drains are caused by buildup in the pipes, they can also indicate larger problems. You could be approaching total failure due to broken pipes, tree roots or animal damage. If your drains continue to be slow after checking for clogs, it’s time to call out Go-To Pro Plumbing. 

If you are doing a bathroom or kitchen renovation, it’s the perfect time to investigate your plumbing system. While the walls are open, evaluate the pipes. If you see issues, it will be much more cost effective to have them addressed while the walls are open rather than waiting. A few upgrades now will add to the longevity of the system. 

Leaking pipes add moisture to the environment. As many pipes are hidden or are under your home, it can be difficult for that moisture to escape. That moisture can damage your foundation, cause wood rot and mold growth. If you have issues with mold and mildew, the real problem could be your plumbing system. 

Signs of odd-colored water indicate a problem in your plumbing. While the discoloration is probably a sign of corrosion, it needs to be evaluated immediately for your families safety. You might see stains and fading on laundry, notice the color in water or find that your hair color is becoming brassy. Any of these symptoms requires a call to Go-To Pro Plumbing.

Unless you’ve had work done already, the pipes in your home are the age of the home itself. Leaks that are visible are pretty easy to identify the source, but there can be less obvious signs too. Even a small leak could be a warning that something is seriously wrong with your pipes and they need to be replaced. Discoloration or watermarks on the walls under the sink can be the sign of a leak. Stained ceiling tiles under pipe runs or faucets can indicate a past or current leak. Warps, crumbling or bubbles in drywall can indicate a leak that you can’t see between the walls.

 If your pipes are leaking or clogging up a lot, you are hearing noises in your plumbing, or your water pressure keeps getting lower, it’s a pretty good sign that you may be approaching the time to replace your pipes. Contact Go-To Pro Plumbing today to assess the life of your plumbing system.