How long will my water pipes last?

[micky]

I was watching a video about plumbing and he said copper water pipes came in 3 grades, K, L, and M. IIRC K is the thickest and M the thinnest, and he said M would last about 50 years, and L 70 would last about about 70 years, and that most homes have one or the other. That K is used in industrial or commercial applications.

So, if I have M what happens after 50 years? My house is 46 years old. Will pipes start leakingall over the place in 4 more years!!!! Maybe they shouldn't have put the water pipes in the walls so it would be easier to replace them?

This page says "Whether you are replacing an old water main or even installing a new water service for a building or an existing property, copper is a confident choice for new water main installation due to its durability and longevity. Copper fixtures can last 50-70 years in the right conditions. Apr 20, 2021" And ;that's in the right conditions! Maybe I have the wrong conditions.

[Retirednoguilt]

Sounds not much different than old people. When they get old, there's a risk of them leaking all over! The bottom line is that you need to stop worrying. You'll cross that bridge when it falls on you. Your alternative is to sell now and move to a home not nearly as old. In that case, the home will probably not develop pipe leaks within your actuarial lifetime. Risk tolerance is an individual thing, whether it be for copper pipes nearing the end of their expected useful lifetime, investment portfolio selections, etc. What's a comfortable decision for one personal may be unacceptable to another. Your life, your decision what level of risk you're willing to tolerate.

[invalid unparseable]

My copper pipes are nearly 50 years old and well water with pH about 6 is said to be harsh on them but I have not had a leaky pipe in 25 years. Neighbors around me replaced with CPVC and PEX. Next door neighbor had 15 leaks on bad PEX fittings. Neighbor with CPVC was working under sink and grabbed too hard on the pipe and it broke. Only leaks I have had in recent years were bad shut off valves.

[Ralph Mowery]

I had a house built in 1965 that the pipes started getting pin holes in them around 2000. After repairing them several times over 3 or 4 years I had it all replaced with the plastic pipe. Then 3 or 4 years later moved to another house. Now I may have to start all over with the pipes leaking.

[invalid unparseable]

Do you have access to the well? I think if you throw crushed oyster shells into the well that will adjust the PH to above 7  for a long time. You can crush whole oyster shells with sledge hammer, or buy oyster shells already crushed.

It is expensive from Amazon because it is heavy.

Find crushed oyster shells near you:

[invalid unparseable]

Pump is about 75 ft down hole. I would not do that. If it bypassed the pump it would settle back down to about well depth of maybe 125 ft where it probably would not help. One neighbor injects caustic into his system past pressure tank which I would not do. Water is hard with high calcium already.

[micky]

So you had to rip out walls, get plaster dust all over the place, try to match the paint or wallpaper when you repaired it?

Dang, no one told me about this in advance (or until this week). In fact when I first saw this house I made a point to look, when I was in the basement, to be sure that it had copper pipes (which all houses from this period had anyhow) and that it had copper wiring. Yikes, is the copper wiring also going to start leaking in 4 years!

Maybe I shouldn't be so surprise, at least since 2 weeks ago. The pressure regulator has a hole in in, 1" in diameter! Although I think that's made from bronze, not plain copper.

[Ralph Mowery]

This was a one story house and the pipes were hidden behind the cabinets that hold up the sinks. They came up through the floor and were not in the walls. The bathtub had a removable board that was in a closet in the next room.

[micky]

Thank goodness for all that. Our first bathroom had a bathtub with a board I assume was removeable, but it was right next to the toilet. that would have had to come out too.

This is a two story house. Yeah, the kitchen and powder room wouldn't be so bad, because the basement underneath is not finished. But the two upstairs bathrooms would be a big problem. I hope I don't have pinholes 4 years from now. If this ng is still functioning, I"ll let you know.

[Martha Stewert]

For the love of God, if you got wallpaper, remove it. Wallpaper should be illegal.

[Ed P]

Yes, no wallpaper in my house. Illegal and immoral to have fancy designs on the walls. The government and religious leaders should be against it.

[hubops]

I've always said that it should be used as a compatibility test for young couples wishing to get married - make them wallpaper a room .. John T.

[retired1]

If you hate wallpaper, you'll love this....

[Cindy Hamilton]

We waited a year after we married to wallpaper a room. That was

34 years ago.

[Bob F]

There is nothing more fun than trying to steam painted over wallpaper of walls in my first house. Especially the non-plaster "wallboard" ones in the attic that warped and had to be replaced.

[Clare Snyder]

The closest I ever saw to conflict between my mother and father was when walpapering - - - -

[micky]

It's a restrictive covenant in my deed.

Why aren't you in jail?

[micky]

They have more imagination than I do!

[Retirednoguilt]

The first and only time I put up wallpaper, it was in a 1/2 bathroom. At that time, I was married about 3 years and it was a fraught experience for both of us. Even that small job convinced us that any future wallpaper work should and would be done by someone experienced in the trade.

[Juan Smith]

Water pipe replacement is cheap compared to a leaky fuel oil tank and soil remediation.