What is Copper Pipe?
Copper pipe is a widely used material in plumbing systems, composed of a high-quality copper alloy.
Typically made from a high-quality copper alloy, the manufacturing process involves extruding or drawing the copper into tube form. Copper pipes are either considered flexible or rigid:
- Flexible copper tubing: Flexible, or soft copper, is sold in rolls and is used in applications that may require bending. Flexible copper is typically used outdoors or in confined spaces.
- Rigid copper pipe: Rigid, or hard copper piping, is sold in sections of various lengths and is connected by soldered fittings. Rigid copper pipe is what is used most commonly in interior residential plumbing.
As a time-tested material, copper piping continues to be widely used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings, offering a reliable and enduring solution for transporting water and other fluids.
Is Copper a Good Repiping Material?
Copper piping has been a trusted and popular choice for repiping projects for decades, offering numerous advantages for whole-home repipes.
In residential plumbing, copper piping is used for its durability, resistance to corrosion, non-toxicity, efficient heat transfer, versatility, and aesthetic appeal. Copper comes in various sizes and types to meet different plumbing needs.
Here at Repipe Specialists, we exclusively use high-quality Grade L copper piping for our whole home copper repipes. This American-made copper piping is known for its strength and durability.
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With over 75,000 repipes completed, we've perfected our One-Stop Repipe™ for your home.
What are the Benefits of Copper Pipe?
There are several benefits to repiping with copper pipe:
- Durability and Longevity: Copper piping is known for enduring high pressures and temperature fluctuations without compromising its structural integrity, ensuring long-term durability.
- Health and Safety: Copper is a non-toxic material, guaranteeing the health and safety of your household by resisting bacterial growth, providing clean drinking water, and offering higher fire resistance than certain plastic piping options.
- Versatility: Copper piping's versatility shines through its ability to be shaped and bent to fit various home layouts, unaffected by UV light in contrast to PEX tubing, making it especially adaptable in areas exposed to sunlight or the outdoors.
You can read more about the benefits of copper pipe at our article Is Copper A Good Choice For My Home Repipe?
What's the Lifespan of Copper Pipe?
Copper piping is renowned for its durability, making it an excellent long-term investment. With an average lifespan of 50 years or more, copper pipes are known for their excellent longevity.
Copper's resilience is a result of its inherent corrosion resistance, which prevents rust and other forms of deterioration that frequently affect materials like galvanized steel pipes.
Nevertheless, it is crucial to ensure that installation is performed by experienced professionals and that your water chemistry is compatible with copper to maximize its lifespan. Issues such as hard water can damage copper pipe and cause pinhole leaks in copper.
What is the Cost of Repiping With Copper?
Most of our full home copper repipes cost between $4,500 for smaller homes and $15,000 for larger properties with more complex requirements and longer pipe runs. We break down all the cost factors in our article How Much Should A Repipe Cost?
Here at Repipe Specialists, we only perform full home repipes. We have heard from customers that in some cases, the cost of our whole home repiping services was lower than the cost of replacing a section of damaged pipe within a slab. This is particularly true for homeowners who've performed multiple in-slab repairs over time.
Feel free to contact us to receive a free fixed-price repipe quote from one of our local estimators.
Get your free estimate today
With over 75,000 repipes completed, we've perfected our One-Stop Repipe™ for your home.
Should I Repipe With Copper Or PEX?
Although there are many advantages to repiping with copper, PEX is rapidly emerging as the preferred material for home repipes.
On average, copper incurs a higher upfront cost compared to materials like PEX tubing due to material production and the installation process, which necessitates extensive labor for soldering every connection and joint in the plumbing.
While copper pipes are generally corrosion-resistant, they can be vulnerable to specific water chemicals. Over time, highly acidic or alkaline water with a high mineral content can gradually corrode copper pipes, causing issues such as copper pinhole leaks.
Ultimately, if you want to steer clear of plastic piping, need to install plumbing in areas exposed to UV light, or have encountered issues with other plastic pipes like polybutylene and CPVC in the past, copper is still a reliable option for repiping your home.
For a more detailed comparison, read our article comparing copper piping and PEX tubing.
Which Type of Copper Pipe Should I Use for My Home Repipe?
When it comes to choosing the best type of copper pipe for a replumb, we recommend using Type L copper piping in comparison to other types of copper, such as Type M and Type K.
Type L copper pipe has a thicker wall compared to other types of copper, providing greater strength and durability. It is commonly used for both hot and cold water distribution, as well as for general plumbing purposes.
We exclusively utilize American-made Type L copper piping for all of our copper repipes. Type L copper pipe is preferred due to its versatility and longevity, making it suitable for a wider range of applications.
Get a Quote for Your Home Copper Repipe
Here at Repipe Specialists, we've fully replaced the plumbing in over 75,000 homes since 1991. A Copper repipe will save you financially into the future (we back our repipes with a lifetime warranty). We continually get positive customer feedback from customers about their overall home repipe experiences. We often exceed their expectations on:
- Speed: Our repipe crews typically complete a repipe in a day, returning on another day for wall patching.
- Convenience: Through our One-Stop Repipe™ Process, we handle everything from permits, to wall patching, to inspections.
- Cleanliness: Our crews are trained to protect your home while working (we cover all surfaces with protective sheeting), and to clean up fully at the end of each day.
- Peace of Mind: Repipe Specialists is a fully licensed plumber in every state we operate in, and we back all of our repipes with a lifetime warranty.
- Financing programs: To help take the sting out of unplanned repipe expenses, we offer several financing programs.
- Price: As a specialist that performs hundreds of repipes a week, we can deliver high-quality repipes at a lower cost vs generalist plumbers. We have an article that covers repipe cost factors in detail. Our quotes typically range from $4,500 to $15,000 depending on the size and complexity of your project.
Schedule a free in-home consult, and one of our local repipe consultants will explain all your Copper repipe options and provide you with a written, fixed-price quote.