Like everything else in your home, your pipes have a cap on how long they’ll remain functional, but it can be difficult to figure out exactly what that lifespan is, especially because a lot of your home’s plumbing is hidden. We’ve made this guide to help you determine which pipes to replace right away and which ones you can put off for at least a few years.

Replace Right Away

There are some materials that were used to construct pipes at one time or another that we now understand are either extremely dangerous or are prone to breakage. These pipe materials include:

Lead

Lead was one of the first materials used in plumbing in part because of its stability and its malleability. But, we now know that it is an incredibly toxic material that can lead to poisoning and even death. The Romans knew this well, as they were one of the main players in the creation of modern plumbing. Ancient Romans suffered from lead poisoning quite often, due to the lead contamination in their water, and the lead plates and glasses they used.

Because of its high levels of toxicity, lead was banned from being used in the transportation of drinking water and other uses as well.

Polybutylene

Polybutylene pipes were used extensively from 1978 until 1995 because of the low cost of materials and installation, they were even viewed as the “pipe of the future” and were looked to as a replacement for copper pipes. Unfortunately, what homeowners didn’t know at the time was that polybutylene is an incredibly brittle type of plastic that is prone to breaking or shattering which could cause water damage in your home.

Replace in the Future

Aside from lead and polybutylene pipes, most other materials should last a long time in your home, and without major issues. For a breakdown of the lifetimes for each material, see below:

• Copper – 70-80 years
• Brass – 80-100 years
• Galvanized Steel – 80-100 years
• Cast Iron – 80-100 years
• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) – 25-40

If you think the pipes in your home are reaching the end of their lifetimes, then don’t hesitate to contact Beyond Wow for a consultation. We’ll help you to determine whether you can get by with a repair or if it’s time for a full repiping of your home’s plumbing. Call us today or visit our website to learn more about how we can help make your plumbing more efficient!