Repiping in Phoenix, AZ

When a repipe beats another repair

• A second or third slab leak in a few years
• Brown or rusty water when a tap first opens
• Pressure that is poor at several fixtures, not just one
• Galvanized steel visible at the water heater or under sinks
• Pinhole leaks showing up in copper in different rooms

Phoenix housing and old pipe

The median Phoenix home was built around 1984, but the city also has older central areas and historic districts. Those homes can still have galvanized supply lines, which rust inside and narrow over time. Phoenix water is also hard, with the City's report listing 10 to 17.6 grains per gallon, and mineral buildup adds to the restriction in pipe that is already rough inside.

Choosing a pipe

Many Valley repipes abandon the lines under the slab and run new pipe through the attic, then drop down inside walls to each fixture. That avoids cutting concrete, but attic heat in summer means the lines should be well insulated so cold water does not come out warm.

What the job looks like

1. The plumber maps every fixture, the water heater, and the main shutoff.
2. New lines go in while the old system stays live where possible.
3. Water is switched over, the new piping is pressure-tested, and the old runs are capped.
4. Small wall and ceiling openings are patched, often by a drywall contractor.

Permits

City of Phoenix Planning and Development offers a Plumbing Repipe permit among its residential online permits. Properties in designated historic districts are not eligible for those online permits, so those homes go through the regular permit process.

Cost depends on

Number of bathrooms and fixtures, pipe material, single story versus two story, attic access, and how much drywall repair follows. A partial repipe that only replaces the slab lines feeding one wing costs less than a whole house, but it leaves the rest of the old pipe in service. Ask the plumber to show you the condition of the existing pipe before you decide on the scope.