A good rule of thumb is to have your home’s plumbing professionally inspected once a year. Annual inspections catch small issues before they turn into expensive repairs, help improve your home’s water efficiency, and extend the overall life of your plumbing system.

Recurring leaks are one of the clearest signs you may need a repipe. If you’re repairing leaks every few months, your pipes are likely deteriorating rather than experiencing isolated failures. Discolored or rusty water can indicate corrosion inside galvanized steel pipes, while low water pressure throughout the home often points to mineral buildup, corrosion, or damaged piping. Visible corrosion on exposed pipes, unexplained increases in your water bill, and older plumbing materials like galvanized steel or aging polybutylene are all additional signs that a full repipe may be more cost effective than continued repairs.

A plumbing emergency is any issue that puts your home or health at immediate risk. This includes burst pipes, which can cause rapid water damage and structural issues, and major water leaks that can’t be contained or shut off. Sewage backups are a health hazard the moment wastewater starts coming up through drains, toilets, or tubs. Overflowing toilets (especially if it’s your only bathroom), a complete loss of water supply unrelated to a municipal outage, and a total loss of hot water are also situations that call for immediate professional help.