Wilmington’s older and historic homes carry some of the oldest plumbing on the coast, often galvanized steel and, in the oldest houses, lead. Whole-house repiping replaces that aging pipe with modern PEX or copper, ending the rusty water, low pressure, and repeat leaks that come with it.
From the historic districts to the older neighborhoods around them, Wilmington has plumbing that has been in the walls for generations. Galvanized pipe that has rusted through, and in the very oldest homes lead pipe or lead solder, are common here in a way they are not in newer construction. When that pipe starts to fail, repiping is the fix that lasts.
Why Wilmington’s Older Homes Need Repiping
Wilmington pairs a lot of historic housing with a coastal setting, and both are hard on pipe. Neighborhoods like Forest Hills, Sunset Park, and Ardmore, along with the downtown Historic District, hold homes old enough that their original galvanized pipe has corroded from the inside. Salt air and humidity speed that corrosion along. In the oldest homes, lead pipe and lead solder add a health reason to repipe on top of the plumbing one.
The use of lead pipe and lead solder in new plumbing was banned under federal law in 1986. Homes in Wilmington’s older districts built before then can still have lead in their water lines, and repiping is the permanent way to remove it.
The Pipe Problems We See Most in Wilmington
Corroded Galvanized Steel
Galvanized pipe rusts from the inside as its protective coating wears away, which narrows the line, drops your pressure, and tints the water brown. In Wilmington’s older homes it has often been in the ground long enough that the corrosion runs through the whole system.
Lead Pipe and Lead Solder in the Oldest Homes
The very oldest Wilmington homes may still have lead pipe or copper joined with lead solder. That is a health concern as well as a plumbing one, and replacing it removes the lead from your water for good.
Low Pressure From Decades of Buildup
When the pressure has fallen off across the entire house and the water runs discolored, the cause is usually the aging pipe itself rather than any single fixture.
Signs Your Wilmington Home May Need Repiping
- Rusty, brown, or metallic-tasting water, worst first thing in the morning
- Water pressure that has slowly dropped throughout the home
- More than one pinhole leak in a year, or repeat leaks in the same lines
- Pipes that knock or bang when you shut off a faucet
- A historic or pre-1986 home that still has its original plumbing
Repair or Repipe?
A single, isolated leak on otherwise sound pipe can be repaired. But when the material has reached the end of its life and failures keep coming, a full repipe costs less over time than repairing the same lines again and again. On a historic Wilmington home, removing old lead pipe is often reason enough on its own. We look at the pipe and the pattern before recommending either path.
Start with a look at what is in the walls. The pipe material and its condition, not just the latest leak, tell us whether a repair or a full repipe is the smarter move for your Wilmington home.
This article focuses on repiping in Wilmington. For the full guide to pipe materials, warning signs, and what to expect during a repipe, read our cornerstone: Whole-House Repiping in Coastal North Carolina.
Seeing the same leaks come back? Our water leak detection service can pinpoint a hidden leak and help you decide between a repair and a repipe.
Sewer Line Inspection as a Diagnostic Tool
If your concern is on the drain side rather than the supply side, a camera-based sewer line inspection shows exactly what is happening inside an older Wilmington line before you decide on any repair.
Wild Water Plumbing + Septic provides whole-house repiping, leak detection, and plumbing repairs across Wilmington and New Hanover County.Call us at 910.750.2312 or schedule service online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my Wilmington home needs repiping?
Rusty water, pressure that has dropped across the whole house, and repeat leaks all point to the pipe material wearing out, which is what a repipe fixes. In the oldest homes, removing lead pipe is reason enough on its own. An inspection tells you what your home actually needs.
Could my historic Wilmington home still have lead pipe?
It is possible in homes built before the 1986 lead ban. Lead pipe and lead solder were used in older plumbing, and the only way to know is to check. If they are present, repiping removes the lead from your water for good.
What pipe material do you use for repiping?
We typically repipe with modern PEX or copper, chosen to fit your home, your water, and your budget. Both far outlast the galvanized or lead pipe they usually replace.
Do you offer repiping throughout New Hanover County?
Yes. Wild Water Plumbing + Septic provides whole-house repiping across Wilmington and all of New Hanover County. Call 910.750.2312 or schedule online.
References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Use of lead-free pipes, fittings, fixtures, solder, and flux for drinking water. U.S. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/use-lead-free-pipes-fittings-fixtures-solder-and-flux-drinking-water
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Basic information about lead in drinking water. U.S. EPA. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water
