Whole House Repiping in Chicago, IL

Repiping is a major investment. Here's how to know when it's the right call.

Pipe Material Tells You Most of What You Need to Know

Every pipe material has a service life. If your home has any of these, it's a repipe candidate:

• Galvanized steel — 40 – 50 year service life. Most Chicago homes with galvanized have already exceeded it.
• Lead — any lead pipe, ever, regardless of condition. Chicago has a mandatory Lead Service Line Replacement Program through 2037.
• Polybutylene ("Qest") — gray flexible plastic installed 1978 – 1995. Known to fail catastrophically from chlorine exposure.
• Lead solder on copper joints — pre-1986 homes with copper may have lead solder. The pipe is fine; the joints can leach lead.

Symptoms That Point to Repipe

• Rusty, yellow, or brown water from taps — galvanized corroding internally
• Low water pressure throughout the house — scaled galvanized narrowing effective pipe diameter
• Multiple leaks in the past 2 – 3 years — system-wide deterioration, not isolated failures
• Noisy pipes, banging, rattling — deteriorated galvanized or improperly supported lines
• Visible corrosion in basement or crawlspace pipes — green patina on copper (normal) vs. flaking rust on galvanized (repipe)
• Bad taste or smell from water — galvanized interior scale shedding
• Hot water weaker than cold — hot lines scale faster; hot-side galvanized is typically failing first
• Insurance refusing to renew because of pipe condition (we see this on polybutylene homes)

Chicago Housing Stock by Era

• Pre-1900: original lead service lines and lead branch lines, often still in place
• 1900 – 1940: galvanized interior, lead service line, sometimes original brass valves
• 1940 – 1960: galvanized interior, sometimes copper added in rehabs, lead service lines often still present
• 1960 – 1980: copper interior (with lead solder until 1986), lead service lines replaced in some neighborhoods
• 1978 – 1995: polybutylene in some homes and apartments
• 1986+: copper with lead-free solder; PEX starting in early 2000s
• 2004+ (Chicago): PEX allowed for residential supply

If your home is 40+ years old and has not been repiped, schedule an assessment. Call 833-758-6911.

The two modern materials for residential water supply. Both are excellent; the right choice depends on your home, budget, and long-term plans.

Copper (Type L)

• Service life: 50 – 100+ years
• Pressure rating: well beyond residential requirements
• Temperature rating: handles any residential hot water temperature
• Freeze resistance: splits on freeze (same as any rigid pipe)
• Corrosion resistance: excellent in most Chicago water chemistry; very rare pinhole issues in aggressive water
• UV resistance: unaffected (not used outdoors but doesn't matter)
• Rodent resistance: excellent (rodents can chew PEX in very rare cases)
• Cost (material + labor): ~30% higher than PEX
• Install speed: slower (cutting, reaming, fluxing, soldering every joint)
• Aesthetic: polished copper looks premium; rarely seen in finished spaces
• Re-solderability: easy to repair
• Chicago code: fully allowed for all residential supply

PEX (Cross-Linked Polyethylene)

• Service life: 50+ years (25+ year original warranty; real-world performance confirming longer life)
• Pressure rating: well beyond residential requirements
• Temperature rating: handles any residential hot water temperature
• Freeze resistance: excellent — PEX can expand up to ~30% before splitting; much more freeze-tolerant than copper
• Corrosion resistance: immune (plastic)
• UV resistance: poor (degrades in sunlight; not used outdoors)
• Rodent resistance: good but not perfect; rare chew incidents
• Cost (material + labor): ~30% less than copper
• Install speed: fast (expansion or crimp fittings, no flame, no solder)
• Aesthetic: flexible red/blue tubing with plastic fittings — always hidden behind walls
• Re-repairability: easy to splice with new fittings
• Chicago code: fully allowed since 2004 Chicago code amendment

Which to Choose

• Choose copper if: you want the longest proven track record, don't mind the extra cost, and plan to stay in the home long-term
• Choose PEX if: you want lower cost, faster install, better freeze tolerance (helpful in Chicago's cold basements and exterior walls), and shorter disruption
• Mixed install: PEX for all interior runs, copper for the trunk from the meter and short stubs at fixtures (best-of-both approach; we often recommend this)

Both are code-compliant and both are excellent. We don't push one over the other based on margin — we recommend based on what's best for your home.

A repipe is a structured 4 – 7 day project (including drywall patching). Here's exactly what happens.

Day 1: Site Prep and Planning

• Walkthrough with homeowner: confirm every fixture and appliance location
• Map existing supply lines: trace every run in basement, crawlspace, and walls
• Plan new routes: prefer straight runs, avoid bends, minimize wall openings
• Protect finishes: floor protection, furniture covered, plastic sheeting where access cuts will happen
• Shut off main water temporarily to confirm isolation and test shutoff valve

Day 1 – 2: Access Cutting

• Minimize drywall damage: we cut 4" × 8" "peep holes" at each access point, not large rectangles
• Strategic positioning: cuts made at junctions of wall and ceiling where patching is least visible
• Ceiling access for runs between floors (patches easier than wall texture)
• Existing access points used first: return air vents, cabinet interiors, closet walls

Day 2 – 3: New Pipe Installation

• Run new supply lines (copper or PEX) through walls, floors, and ceilings
• Use existing pathways where possible (e.g., behind finished wall, through unfinished basement ceiling)
• Install new shutoff valves at every fixture (individual shutoffs required by Chicago code)
• Install new PRV if needed (where incoming pressure exceeds 80 PSI)
• Install new thermal expansion tank on the water heater supply (required for closed systems)
• Insulation: hot and cold pipes in unconditioned spaces get foam insulation per Chicago code

Day 3: Pressure Test

• Isolate new system from the existing
• Pressurize to 100 PSI air for minimum 15 minutes
• Inspect every joint for leaks
• Correct any deficiencies before cutover

Day 3 – 4: Cutover

• Shut off main water (typically 2 – 4 hours)
• Disconnect old system from new
• Remove visible sections of old galvanized, lead, or polybutylene (left in place within walls where not accessible)
• Connect new system to meter, fixtures, water heater
• Restore water to the house
• Flush new lines to remove any debris
• Commission all fixtures — verify flow, pressure, and temperature

Day 4 – 5: Chicago Inspection

• Inspector reviews new piping, pressure test documentation, and installation method
• Pass inspection (our standard on first visit)

Day 5 – 7: Drywall Patching

• Patch all access holes with drywall, tape, mud, sand, and texture match
• Paint-ready finish — homeowner handles repaint
• Clean site — remove all debris, protective covering, equipment

Duration Summary

• Small home (1 – 2 bath): 3 – 4 days
• Standard home (3 – 4 bath): 4 – 6 days
• Large home (5+ bath): 6 – 8 days

You Can Stay in the Home

Most repipes are done with the homeowner staying in the home. Water service is interrupted only during the cutover (2 – 4 hours). You can use one or two fixtures at any given time except during cutover.

Repipe pricing depends on home size, pipe material, fixture count, and accessibility.

What's Always Included

• All materials (copper or PEX, fittings, shutoffs, insulation)
• Labor for removal and installation
• Chicago plumbing permit
• Pressure test
• Chicago inspector coordination
• Drywall patching to paint-ready finish
• Basic cleanup
• 2-year labor warranty on workmanship
• Manufacturer warranty on materials (25+ years on PEX; lifetime on copper)

What's Not Included

• Paint — homeowner's preference and color match
• Fixtures — faucets, toilets, tubs, showers (we connect to existing or new)
• Sewer or drain work — separate scope
• Lead service line replacement (from the curb stop to the house) — different project; see water main repair
• Water heater replacement — separate quote if needed

Cost Factors

• Access — fully finished walls cost more than unfinished basements
• Fixture count — more fixtures = more terminations
• Layout complexity — cape cods with attic and slab areas require more work than ranches
• Pipe material in floors or slabs — may require concrete cutting
• Recirculation loop if requested — adds material and labor

Financing

We offer financing through third-party partners for qualifying customers. Ask when we scope the job.

Repiping in Chicago has specific code, climate, and housing-stock requirements.

Lead Service Line Replacement

Chicago has a mandatory Lead Service Line Replacement Program to replace every lead service line (the pipe from the curb stop to your home) by 2037. This is a separate project from whole house repiping (which covers the pipes inside the home from the meter outward). If your home has a lead service line:

• We can replace it as part of a comprehensive water supply upgrade
• City subsidies and loan programs may apply
• See our water main repair page for service line details

A whole house repipe is often paired with a service line replacement for a complete supply upgrade.

Chicago Plumbing Code for Repiping

• Permit required for every repipe (we pull and coordinate)
• Individual shut-off valves required at every fixture
• Air gap or backflow preventer at appliance connections
• Pipe insulation required in unconditioned spaces (R-3 minimum)
• Expansion tank required in closed systems (common with PRV)
• PEX allowed since 2004 amendment for residential potable water
• Copper Type L or K allowed for all applications
• Pressure test at 100 PSI for 15 minutes mandatory

Winter Freeze Considerations

Chicago's winters are brutal. Design choices that prevent freeze:

• Keep supply lines on interior walls whenever possible
• Insulate any supply line in exterior walls with foam sleeves (R-3 minimum)
• Insulate all supply lines in unheated basements, attics, and crawlspaces
• Freeze-resistant sillcocks at exterior hose bibs (frost-free with vacuum breaker)
• PEX preferred in cold zones because of its freeze tolerance

See our frozen pipe repair page for related prevention.

Disruption Management in Occupied Homes

• Water service maintained except during cutover (2 – 4 hours)
• One fixture typically available at any given time during the work
• Showers usable the night before and after cutover
• Laundry possible between access cuts in different rooms
• Work hours 8 AM – 5 PM, minimal noise and dust

Repipe and Remodel Coordination

If you're planning a bathroom or kitchen remodel, a repipe during the remodel is typically cheaper and more complete than a separate project. We coordinate with GCs regularly.

Many Chicago homeowners call us to patch a single galvanized pipe leak. We fix it. Then 4 months later, it's another leak. Then 6 months later, another. Here's why.

Galvanized Internal Corrosion Is Uniform

All the galvanized pipe in your home was installed at the same time, corrodes at roughly the same rate, and develops leaks at roughly the same time. Fixing one leak doesn't fix the system — it just treats the symptom.

Cost Math Over 10 Years

Patching approach:

• Year 1: leak repair $350
• Year 2: two leak repairs $750
• Year 3: three leak repairs $1,200
• Year 4: flood from hidden leak damages wall, $2,500 repair + restoration
• Year 5: repipe anyway, now $12,000

Total over 5 years: $16,800

Repipe upfront: $8,500

Savings: $8,300 — plus you avoid the stress of chronic leaks and potential catastrophic failure.

When Patching Is the Right Call

• Pipe is copper, not galvanized — single copper leak is usually isolated
• Leak is at a specific joint or fitting that can be replaced cleanly
• Home is being sold soon and buyer will be responsible for long-term supply
• Budget genuinely doesn't allow repipe and immediate functionality is the priority

In all other cases, if your home has widespread galvanized, lead, or polybutylene, repipe is the financially smart decision — even if the upfront cost is higher.

Homeowners consistently report the same benefits after a whole house repipe.

Water Pressure

• Before: 25 – 40 PSI at fixtures with multiple running
• After: 50 – 70 PSI at any fixture, running alone or with others
• Noticeable: showers feel stronger, toilets refill faster, washing machine and dishwasher cycle faster

Water Quality

• Before: yellow/rust-tinted water from first morning draw, metallic taste, scale in kettles
• After: clear water from any tap, no taste or odor, no scale buildup

Water Heater Performance

• Before: tank takes forever to refill, hot water runs out faster, heat exchanger scaling (tankless)
• After: faster recovery, more hot water capacity, tankless runs cleanly

Appliance Longevity

• Washing machine valves last longer
• Dishwasher fill valves last longer
• Refrigerator ice maker runs cleaner
• Water heater flush is more effective

Resale Value

• Chicago buyers and their inspectors know what galvanized looks like
• A recent repipe is a major selling point
• Documentation (permit, inspection, invoice) goes with the house
• Often adds 2 – 5% to list price or eliminates a major buyer objection

Peace of Mind

• No more waiting for the next leak
• No more rusty water calls
• Insurance rates may drop for polybutylene-removed homes
• Finished basements become safer investments

Warranty

• 2-year labor warranty on our workmanship
• 25+ year manufacturer warranty on PEX
• Lifetime manufacturer warranty on copper
• All documentation kept in your home records