Residential · Pipes and water lines
Whole-house repiping across Oakville
Threaded galvanized steel fed the taps in a lot of pre-1960s houses.
- Typical stay: several days, depending on size
- On the dolly: PEX or copper, manifold if used, fittings
- Water service: kept on as much as possible
- Proof: full pressure test before closing up
- Licensed plumbers · ask for details on the call
- Cause found and explained before work starts
- Oakville & Halton coverage
What this job involves
Threaded galvanized steel fed the taps in a lot of pre-1960s houses. Over the decades it rusts from the inside out, narrowing until the upstairs shower is a drizzle and the first glass of the morning runs orange. Repiping swaps those lines throughout the house for copper or PEX. It is a large job, planned to open as little drywall as possible and keep the household running during the work.
How the job goes
- Survey existing pipe and map every fixture and branch.
- Plan new runs through basements, closets and chases to keep openings few.
- Install new lines while leaving water available wherever possible.
- Move fixtures onto the new system one area at a time.
- Hold the new pipework under test pressure, then leave openings ready for the drywaller.
Warning signs on your pipes
- Weak flow at upstairs fixtures.
- Rusty or tinted water when taps first open.
- Pinhole leaks in different spots over time.
- Grey threaded pipe visible in the basement.
- Pressure sags when two fixtures run.
From the job notes
Old Oakville, Kerr Village and some post-war streets near downtown still have houses with original galvanized lines, sometimes partly replaced over the years.
Old Oakville, Kerr Village and some post-war streets near downtown still have houses with original galvanized lines, sometimes partly replaced over the years. Copper threaded straight onto galvanized, with no dielectric union between them, eats itself at that joint.
PEX bends around corners and can be fished through walls with fewer openings, which makes it a favourite for repiping. Copper remains a solid choice too. We lay out the pros and cons for your house.
What comes off the truck
| Tool or part | What it does on the job |
|---|---|
| Torch, flux and lead-free solder | Sweats copper fittings the traditional way |
| Screw-on test gauge | Threads onto an outside tap so we log line pressure ahead of and after any valve work |
Questions we hear
Is PEX permitted in Ontario?
Yes. PEX is an accepted supply material under the Ontario Building Code when the install follows its rules.
Will the house be torn apart?
Some openings are unavoidable, but careful routing keeps them small and few.
Related plumbing
- Water service line replacementmain line from the street
- Backflow prevention devicesprotecting drinking water
- Basement bathroom rough-instubs, slab cuts and venting
- Preventing frozen pipesDecember to February
- Draining heater sedimentonce a year
- Uptown Corecondos and townhouses near Trafalgar
- Lakeshore Woods2000s homes near Burloak
- Miltonfast-growing town to the north
Not sure which job fits your pipe? Call (365) 517-8536 and describe it.