A lot of South Florida homes built before the mid-1970s still have their original galvanized steel or cast iron plumbing. That pipe rusts from the inside out, and by the time you notice a problem, the inside of the line often looks nothing like the outside. Here are the signs it is time to look closer.
1. Brown or rusty water
If the water runs discolored — especially first thing in the morning or after the house has sat — that rust is coming from inside your pipes. It is the clearest sign that galvanized supply lines are corroding.
2. Weak or dropping water pressure
As rust and mineral scale build up inside old pipe, the actual opening water flows through gets narrower. Pressure that has slowly gotten worse over the years is usually pipe, not the city supply.
3. Leaks that keep coming back
One pinhole leak gets patched, then another shows up a few feet away. When a line starts failing from corrosion, spot repairs buy you a season at a time. At some point a full repipe is cheaper than chasing leaks.
4. A warm spot on the floor or the sound of running water
These point to a slab leak — a supply line leaking under the concrete. Warm spots, an unexplained jump in your water bill, or the sound of water when everything is off all warrant leak detection before you open anything up.
5. The house is simply old enough
Cast iron drain lines last about 50 years, and a lot of Miami and Hialeah homes are at or past that. If your home is original and untouched, age alone is reason to have the lines inspected.
Repair or repipe?
Not every symptom means a whole-home repipe. We camera the lines first and tell you honestly whether a targeted repair or a full repipe in PEX or copper is the right call. And because we also hold the general license, we open the wall, do the work, pass inspection, and close it back up — you are not left hiring someone else to patch drywall.
Seeing any of these signs? Get a free diagnosis and we will tell you what is actually going on behind the wall.