Looking for advice from those with knowledge/experience Moving into a new home in a few weeks, and top on my to-do list is address the state of the pipes - which appear to be 30+ years old and on their way out. There's evidence that they've been patched in places, and I've no interest in dealing with the never ending pin hole leaks with corroding pipes. So, we've got almost three weeks between closing and when we move in, giving us an opportunity to take care of this without it being a hassle. Thought 1 is to replace all of it and put in PVC. (total cost ~ $10k) I'm intrigued by the idea of epoxy lining (ePipe) - 10 year warranty. No drywall/sheetrock destruction, done in 3 days instead of 2+weeks, slightly lower cost ($8k). Anyone able to vouch for the epoxy method? Are there downsides to it that are understated? I'm doing a walkthrough Thursday with Pickett Plumbing, and will make a final decision then.
My old man had the same problem just a year ago. He ended up opting for the PVC route. They used flexible pipe and just cut small holes in the sheetrock where necessary. Not as invasive as he feared. I don't know why he decided against the epoxy, but I'll ask.
I'd go ahead and replace it all. If you're doing cash-out on the mortgage to pay for the repairs, I'd go ahead and get the PVC installed since you'll just be paying back that $2000 difference over the term of the mortgage.
Update: talked to my old man, he opted for not PVC, but pex, which is a flexible variety. This eliminates large holes inthe Sheetrock and solves the issue of threading the pipes from the attic. Ultimately, the epoxy is a temporary solution. Corroded 40yr old galvanized pipes are bad, epoxy or not.
If the pipes are that long, I'd opt for replacement. You will have peace of mind in the long run. The additional expense is not too much anyway.
If you are sure you are going to replace the existing pipes then go the PVC route and not the epoxy pipe liner. There are a few reasons. Often times what appear to be hairline fractures in a pipe or stresses that are note even visible are made worse when the pipe balloon is put in your pipes to make sure that the epoxy dries properly. Also, the epoxy only works for very small holes, if the pipe continues to crack and becomes larger, the epoxy is useless. Also when municipalities work on piping, they use pvc typically, and that will go better on new pvc pipes rather than lines metal pipes. Let me know if you have any other questions... building houses is a hobby of mine. Last, if you ever decide to sell the house the fact that you have new pipes is a good selling point.
Really appreciate all the advice - I'm definitely leaning hard to replacing the pipes now. No one, here or off-boards, has given me a epoxy > replace argument. Any strong recommendations as far as plumbers? I've got a walkthrough today with Pickett, but will want a few bids.
