What is going on
Pipe fails at the weak spots: fittings, threaded joints, bends that have been flexing for years, and anywhere two metals touch. Galvanized steel rusts shut from the inside. Copper thins from water chemistry. PEX can fail at crimp rings or when exposed to sunlight. Drain pipe cracks from settling or freeze damage. Repairs need to account for the material on either side of the break, because a mismatched transition is where the next leak starts.
What we check
- 01
Damage extent
How much pipe is affected beyond the visible failure.
- 02
Material on each side
Proper transitions between copper, PEX, CPVC or galvanized.
- 03
Support and strapping
Pipes secured so they do not flex and fail again.
- 04
Water pressure
High pressure is a hidden cause of fitting failures.
- 05
Test after repair
Pressurized and inspected before walls or ceilings close.
Your options
Coupling repair
Small crack or pinhole in a sound pipe run.
Section replacement
Several feet of damaged or corroded pipe swapped out.
Reroute
Pipe moved to avoid a hard-to-reach spot or a recurring failure zone.
Before we get there
Shut off the main water valve. Open a low faucet outside to drain pressure. If a ceiling is bulging with water, poke a small hole with a screwdriver over a bucket to relieve it before it lets go on its own.