Not knowing your situation, if your property is located in an area that has freezing temps I would move it into a warm section of the house. If you are able to do the work yourself go with PEX, if it has to be performed by a licensed Plumber, he’s most likely going to run PEX.
While he’s at it take out as much and replace the remainder with the same, on our newly acquired or rehab properties we always convert over to PEX, it’s cheap, easy to work with and is trouble free (so far).
Atlanta, GA · Member since 2016 · 91 posts · 67 votes
9y
The house is "under" a timer bomb, since the pipe is in the attic. When it busts, and it will bust. You are looking at replacement for: attic, insulation, flooring, and anything in the between.
Do turn off water at the main cut off, and turn on one faucet on to relieve the pressure.
Appleton, WI · Member since 2017 · 10 posts · 6 votes
9y
Agreed, I would definitely be having that addressed. Galvanized pipes tend to corrode from the inside out, water pressure will decrease over time as that happens. If they are rusting/corroded all the way through enough to be leaking, they need to be replaced. Unfortunately you are in a worst case scenario there with the pipes being overhead in terms of a potential damage standpoint as it will have to leak through insulation and ceiling before it's noticed.
Not knowing your situation, if your property is located in an area that has freezing temps I would move it into a warm section of the house. If you are able to do the work yourself go with PEX, if it has to be performed by a licensed Plumber, he’s most likely going to run PEX.
While he’s at it take out as much and replace the remainder with the same, on our newly acquired or rehab properties we always convert over to PEX, it’s cheap, easy to work with and is trouble free (so far).
Investor · Temple City, CA · Member since 2016 · 47 posts · 11 votes
9y
Thanks for the reply guys! The seller will fix that pipe. I inquired whether a video plumbing inspection would find additional portions since most the piping not accessible, but the contractor said it's not necessary and video piping usually is for sewer lines, not water lines in the house. Does that sound reasonable?
Investor · Verona, NJ · Member since 2014 · 1k+ posts · 832 votes
9y
Albert,
Does it get cold in that part of CA? because here in NJ you wouldn't run a water supply in the attic because it would freeze, here that would only be a vent pipe. but i would have a Plumber check those pipes, as others have said, the galvanized pies are not a good thing to have. you can have a plumber check in the walls, not necessarily in the pipe, they make cameras you can put in the wall to check them out. here is one from Home Cheapo: http://www.homedepot.com/p/RIDGID-Micro-CA25-Inspe...
Investor · Temple City, CA · Member since 2016 · 47 posts · 11 votes
9y
This is in Houston, Tx. I guess the safest way to go would be to repipe the whole house, but that is a 10k job. I think fixing that portion for now is okay for now. If there are other sections of it and it bursts years down the line, then that's what insurance is for I suppose.