Repair or Replace? How We Help You Decide
The short answer
There's no single age or price rule. We look at the condition of what's failed, what caused it, whether the rest of the system is sound, and whether a repair is even allowed. Then we explain the options and you decide.
What we look at
- The condition of the failed part and the rest of the system around it.
- What caused the failure, and whether it will keep happening.
- Whether the repair is allowed. City of Columbus Water & Power currently states that lead and galvanized water service lines can't be repaired; they must be fully replaced with compliant material.
- Access, and what it takes to reach the problem.
Sewer lines
A camera inspection shows whether the damage is in one spot or along the whole line. A localized defect may suit a spot repair or a point patch. A line in poor shape along its length may suit lining or replacement. Not every pipe is a candidate for every method.
Water lines
A localized break can sometimes be repaired where the jurisdiction permits it. City of Columbus Water & Power currently states that lead and galvanized service lines must be fully replaced, not repaired.
Water heaters and sump pumps
Some failures are a part; some are the tank or the pump itself. We tell you which it is and what each option involves, including any code items a replacement would bring up.
How we present the options
We inspect, document what we find, explain it, and offer options where they exist. If we find something different once work starts, we explain it and you approve any added work before it proceeds.
Services on this topic
When your plumbing is a disaster, call the Master
Clogged, Backed Up, or Flooding? Call the Master.
From a stubborn kitchen drain to a collapsed sewer line, the DrainMaster crew has Greater Columbus covered. Phones are answered after hours, and we schedule a licensed local plumber as soon as one is available.
- We explain what we find in plain English
- You approve the price before any work starts
- Licensed & insured Ohio plumbers