Leak Repair for Aging Pipes in Alliance Homes

How Old Pipe Fails

Galvanized steel water pipe was common in homes built through the middle of the last century. It has a zinc coating that protects it for a long time, but once that coating wears through, the steel rusts from the inside out. The threaded joints, where the pipe wall is thinnest, are usually the first to weep and then leak.

Copper lasts longer, but older copper can develop pinholes, and the solder joints in a house that has been remodeled several times are not always the best. Cast iron drain stacks crack along their length or rust through at the bottom where they turn horizontal. Each material leaves its own clues.

• Rust-colored water when you first open a tap, especially after the house sits unused
• Water pressure that has slowly dropped over the years
• Damp spots or mineral crust on threaded fittings in the basement
• Green staining at copper joints
• A damp or stained wall below an upstairs bathroom
• Rust streaks on a cast iron drain stack

Repair or Replace? A Straight Answer

One leak at a single fitting on otherwise healthy pipe is a repair. We cut out the bad section, replace it with new pipe and the right transition fittings, and test the line. That is often all an Alliance home needs.

The calculation changes when we see heavy corrosion along the whole run, several leaks in a short time, or galvanized pipe so clogged with rust that flow is choked. Patching that kind of system tends to move the problem to the next weak joint. In those cases we will explain what a partial or whole-house repipe in Alliance would involve so you can weigh it against continuing to repair leaks one at a time. It is your call; we just want you to have the full picture.

Mixing Old and New Pipe the Right Way

Connecting new pipe to old galvanized is where a lot of amateur repairs go wrong. Joining copper directly to steel creates galvanic corrosion at the connection, and a new leak can appear within a short time. We use proper dielectric or transition fittings to keep dissimilar metals apart.

For replacement sections we typically use copper pipe or PEX, depending on where the line runs and what is already in the house. PEX is often easier to route through finished walls in an older home, while copper is a natural fit for exposed basement runs and near the water heater.

Finding the Leak in an Older House

Older homes can be a maze of additions, abandoned lines and pipes that run in unexpected places. We start with what is visible in the basement, then use the location of stains, the timing of the leak and meter readings to narrow down where water is escaping. When we have to open a wall or ceiling, we keep the opening as small as practical.

If the leak turns out to be in the line from the street to your house, that is a different job. We will tell you what we find and explain the options.

What to Expect From Us

Every job starts with a free estimate. We explain the cause and your options, you approve the specifications, and after the repair we test it under full water pressure as our quality check. If water has damaged floors or drywall, our Alliance restoration team can help with cleanup and insurance paperwork.

To learn more about how we approach leaks across the county, visit our water leak repair overview.