Pipe Repair in San Antonio, TX

Pipe materials you'll find in San Antonio homes

If you don't know what your house has, the exposed pipe at the water heater or under a sink is usually the easiest place to look, and it's worth knowing before a problem arrives.

Common causes of pipe failure locally

• High static pressure. Pressure above roughly 80 psi shortens the life of every joint, supply hose and valve in the house. A failing pressure-reducing valve is a frequent and overlooked cause, and measuring pressure is a two-minute check.
• Hard water and scale. Mineral deposits build inside lines and fittings, restrict flow, and contribute to corrosion.
• Freeze damage. Water expands as it freezes and splits pipe. In San Antonio the vulnerable spots are hose bibs, attic runs, garage walls and exterior-wall piping — often revealed on the thaw, not during the freeze.
• Soil movement. Expansive clay stresses under-slab and buried lines through wet and dry cycles.
• Water hammer. A bang when a washing machine or dishwasher valve closes is a shock wave travelling the system; repeated over years it loosens joints.
• Age and material. Some materials simply reach the end, and no repair changes that.

Signs your supply piping is deteriorating system-wide

• Rusty or discoloured water, particularly first thing in the morning.
• Pressure that has dropped gradually over years across the whole house.
• More than one pinhole leak within a year or two.
• Visible green or white crusting at copper joints.
• Pipes that look pitted, flaking or stained where they're exposed.
• Repeated failures at the same type of fitting in different places.

Any two of those together is a reasonable trigger to ask for an assessment of the whole system rather than another patch.

Repair approaches

1. Section replacement. Cut out the failed length and splice in new pipe with appropriate fittings. The standard response to an isolated leak in sound pipe.
2. Fitting repair. Where the failure is at a joint, valve or connection rather than in the pipe wall.
3. Reroute. Abandon a problem run — commonly one buried in a slab — and route new pipe through accessible space instead.
4. Partial repipe. Replace one branch or one material type while leaving sound sections in place.
5. Full repipe. Replace the supply system, usually in PEX or copper. Disruptive, but it ends the cycle of repeat repairs where the material is failing throughout.

Temporary clamps and compression sleeves have a place in stopping an active leak, but they are a holding measure and shouldn't be left as a permanent fix.

Checking your water pressure

A pressure gauge that threads onto a hose bib costs very little and answers a question that affects the whole system. Attach it to an outside tap with everything in the house off and read the static pressure. If it sits well above 80 psi, ask about a pressure-reducing valve — and if you already have one, about whether it has failed.

It's also worth checking again in the evening. Municipal supply pressure can vary through the day, and a system that reads acceptably at noon may be running high overnight.

Before a freeze, and what to do after one

Before

• Disconnect hoses and cover hose bibs with insulated covers.
• Insulate exposed pipe in the attic, garage and against exterior walls.
• Open cabinet doors under sinks on exterior walls so warm air reaches the pipe.
• Let a thin stream run from the most exposed fixture during the coldest hours.
• Know where the main shutoff is before you need it in the dark.

After

• Check for leaks as the system thaws — splits usually reveal themselves when pressure returns.
• If a section is frozen, warm it gently along its length with warm towels or a hair dryer. Never use an open flame.
• If a pipe has split, close the main and call rather than repressurising repeatedly.
• Check the attic and garage, where damage often runs unnoticed the longest.

Frequently asked questions