Repiping in Winston-Salem, NC

Why it comes up in Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem has a lot of older housing. Census survey data puts the median year built at 1986, with about 43 percent of homes built before 1980, and historic neighborhoods like West End date largely to 1887 through 1930. Houses from those eras may still have galvanized steel supply pipe, which rusts from the inside and narrows over time, or later materials that have reached the end of their service life.

Signs it may be time

• A second or third leak on the same type of pipe within a short time
• Brown or rusty water, especially first thing in the morning
• Low flow throughout the house that a new fixture or aerator does not fix
• Visible corrosion, green crust or flaking on exposed pipe
• Galvanized or polybutylene pipe still in service

Materials used

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities treats its water with chlorine and reports soft water averaging 17.5 ppm hardness, so ask the plumber how the chosen pipe and fittings perform with chlorinated water.

How the work goes

Crawl spaces and basements, common in older Winston-Salem homes, make a repipe easier because new lines can run below the floor. Slab homes usually get new lines through the attic and walls. A plumber cuts small openings in drywall, runs the new pipe, moves each fixture over, and pressure-tests before closing walls. Most households keep water for much of the job, with planned shutoffs.

Lead and galvanized service lines

The pipe from the street is separate from the pipe inside your walls. The utility tracks service line materials at cityofws.org/pipes and asks owners with verified lead or galvanized lines to wait for its replacement plan, so check there if you are replacing everything.

What affects the price

Home size, number of bathrooms and fixtures, floors and access, chosen material, how much drywall patching and painting is needed afterward, and whether a permit from the City-County Inspections Division is required.