Fix a leak or repipe the house?
Found a wet spot or rusty water? Here is how to tell if one fix will do, or if your pipes are worn out.
Quick answer
Fix one leak. Think about a repipe if old pipes keep leaking.
A leak fix starts near $150[1]. A whole-house repipe averages $7,500[1]. Copper lines can last about 70 years[2].
Pipes hide in walls and floors. So trouble can grow for a long time before you see it.
Learn the signs, try a quick test, and then weigh a fix against new pipes.
Signs of pipe trouble
- Wet spots or stains. Look on ceilings, walls and under sinks.
- Rusty or odd-colored water. Old metal pipes may be wearing out inside.
- Low water pressure. Buildup or a hidden leak can slow the flow.
- A high water bill. More water used with no change in habits can mean a leak.
- Old pipes. Angi lists over 50 years as a sign to think about a repipe[1].
The meter test
- Turn off every tap, and do not run the washer or dishwasher.
- Find your water meter. Write down the number, or snap a photo.
- Wait a while without using any water.
- Check again. If the number moved, water is leaking somewhere.
The EPA says leaks in an average home can waste more than 9,300[3] gallons a year[3]. And 9%[3] of homes have leaks that waste fifty gallons or more each day.
How long pipes last
| Pipe | Typical life |
|---|---|
| Copper water lines | 70 years |
| Plastic water lines | 75 years |
| PEX | 40 years |
Source: InterNACHI[2]. Hard water and high pressure can shorten these.
Fix it or repipe?
Fix it when...
- There is one leak in one spot.
- The pipes are not very old.
- The water looks and tastes fine.
Replace it when...
- Leaks keep popping up in new spots.
- The water is rusty or brown.
- The pipes are near or past their life span.
- Your home may have lead pipes.
A leak fix starts near $150[1]. A whole-house repipe averages $7,500[1], about 50 times more. So one leak is almost always worth fixing. Many leaks in old pipes is a different story.
A word on lead
Lead can get into water from old pipes. The EPA says homes built before 1986[4] are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder[4].
Ask your water company what your service line is made of. If you think you have lead, get your water tested before you decide.
Ready to price it? Try the repipe calculator or read the full repipe and leak repair cost guide.
Example: three leaks in a year
Think of a house where the pipes keep springing small leaks. The house is pretend. The prices are from Angi.
The pipes are copper and very old. This year there were three pinhole leaks. Each fix started near $150[1], plus wall repair.
Drywall repair after pipe work costs $300 to $800[1] each time. So small fixes add up fast. A full repipe costs $1,500 to $15,000[1].
Leaks that keep coming back are a sign the pipes are wearing out. Angi lists pipes over 50 years[1] old as a sign it may be time to repipe. Here, getting repipe quotes makes sense.
Leak hunts you can do yourself
- Do the two-hour meter test. Use no water and see if the meter moves.
- Look under every sink with a flashlight.
- Check the ceiling below each bathroom for stains.
- Look at the pipes near the water heater. Note the color and any green crust.
Questions for your plumber about old pipes
- Is this leak a one-time thing, or a sign of more?
- What are my pipes made of, and how old are they?
- What would a repipe cost for my home?
- If I wait, what could go wrong?
Permits
A repipe usually needs a permit. Angi lists plumbing permits at $50 to $500[1]. Ask your local building office, or ask the plumber to get it.
Florida notes
If your home sits on a concrete slab, some pipes may run under the floor. Ask your plumber where your pipes run before you pick a fix. Look up the plumber's license on the state DBPR site[5].
Mistakes to avoid
- Waiting on a slow drip. Water damage grows, and so does the repair bill.
- Fixing the pipe but not the wall. Wet drywall has to dry out or be replaced. Ask who handles that.
- Picking pipe by price alone. Ask how long each type lasts. Plastic water lines are listed at about 75 years[2][2].
- Skipping the main line. If the line from the street is old too, ask about it during a repipe.
Many homes have small leaks. The EPA says about 9%[3] of homes have leaks that waste 50 gallons or more a day[3]. Checking once a season keeps you out of that group.
If you are not sure, a full home plumbing check costs about $200[1]. It is a small price to learn if the problem is one spot or the whole house.
Expert sources we relied on
These are public building codes, laws, license boards, and trade and maker guides. We used them for the rules on this page. None of these groups has looked at or backed Home Repair Report. We just point to what they published.
- Government, law or building code Fix a Leak Week (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense), Page last updated Mar 13, 2026; checked ; source [3])
What it supports here: how much water leaks waste and the water-use check for a family of four - Government, law or building code Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Page last updated Jun 18, 2026; checked ; source [4])
What it supports here: which homes are more likely to have lead pipes - Government, law or building code Construction Industry Licensing Board: license types (Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Web page, as checked; checked ; source [5])
What it supports here: how to look up a Florida plumbing contractor's license
Questions people ask
How long do water pipes last?
Home inspectors list about 70 years[2] for copper water lines, 40 years[2] for PEX and 75 years[2] for plastic lines.
When should I repipe?
Angi lists pipes over 50 years[1] old as one sign. Leaks in many spots, rusty water and low pressure are others.
Could my home have lead pipes?
The EPA says homes built before 1986[4] are more likely to have lead pipes, fixtures and solder. Your water company may know what your service line is made of.
How do I check for a hidden leak?
Turn off all water and watch the meter. The EPA also says a family of four using over 12,000[3] gallons a month likely has a serious leak.
How long do PEX pipes last?
Home inspectors list PEX at about 40 years[2] and copper at about 70 years[2].
Can one small drip really matter?
Yes. The EPA says a drip of one drop a second can waste more than 3,000[3] gallons a year.
How we made this page
A computer helper (AI) found the public data. It also wrote the first draft.
Then we checked each number against its source. Each number links to that source.
The AI did not make up any number. We did not make up any person or quote.
We do not show experts or reviewers. We show the math, so you can check it.
Read how we check numbers, our rules for writing and how we fix mistakes. See a mistake? Tell us.
Sources & how we calculated this
How we calculated this
Life spans come from the InterNACHI chart. Leak and lead facts come from the EPA. Repair and repipe prices are Angi's published numbers. The cost ratio is our math: the average whole-house repipe divided by the starting price of a leak fix.
The full method is on our methodology page. See a mistake? Read our corrections policy.
Every figure on this page (18), with its source and the date we checked it
| Figure | Value | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Repairing a leaking pipe, starting cost | $150 | Angi | |
| Replumbing a whole home, average | $7,500 | Angi | |
| Typical life expectancy (InterNACHI): copper water lines | 70 years | InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) | |
| Pipe age Angi lists as a sign it may be time to repipe (over) | 50 years | Angi | |
| Gallons of water an average home's leaks can waste in a year (more than) | 9,300 | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense) | |
| Share of homes with leaks that waste 50 gallons or more a day | 9% | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense) | |
| Typical life expectancy (InterNACHI): plastic water lines | 75 years | InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) | |
| Typical life expectancy (InterNACHI): PEX | 40 years | InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors) | |
| Full home plumbing inspection, average | $200 | Angi | |
| Lead pipes are more likely in homes built before this year | 1986 | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | |
| Drywall repair after pipe work, low | $300 | Angi | |
| Drywall repair after pipe work, high | $800 | Angi | |
| Replumbing a whole home, low | $1,500 | Angi | |
| Replumbing a whole home, high | $15,000 | Angi | |
| Plumbing permit, low | $50 | Angi | |
| Plumbing permit, high | $500 | Angi | |
| Gallons a month above which a family of four may have serious leaks | 12,000 | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense) | |
| Gallons a year a faucet dripping once a second can waste (more than) | 3,000 | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense) |
Sources
- Angi. What Does Pipe Replacement Cost for a Single Pipe or Project?. Sample/coverage: Angi says its national average pipe replacement cost is based on 94,386 verified projects reported by Angi pros.
- InterNACHI (International Association of Certified Home Inspectors). InterNACHI's Standard Estimated Life Expectancy Chart for Homes. Planning estimates under normal conditions, not warranties. InterNACHI notes hot climates sharply shorten asphalt shingle life.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (WaterSense). Fix a Leak Week.
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Basic Information about Lead in Drinking Water.
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Construction Industry Licensing Board: license types.
