Some homeowners like to take on part of a big project themselves, and whole house repiping leaves more room for that than you might expect, as long as the line between preparation and plumbing stays clear. Alpha Plumbing and Sewer works with Lithia Springs owners who want to handle the groundwork, the cleanup or the finishing while the new supply system goes in.
Groundwork you can do before the visit
- Find the main shutoff and check whether it closes all the way.
- Look at exposed pipe at the water heater, under sinks and in any crawlspace or basement, and note what you see.
- List every leak you remember, where it was and how it was fixed.
- Note which fixtures run weak and whether the trouble is on the hot side, the cold side or both.
- Jot down any fixtures or valves you would like changed while the walls are open.
Notes like these shorten the walk-through and sharpen the estimate. If they include a water bill that keeps climbing with no visible drip, a visit for leak detection and repair can find out whether something is escaping right now.
Preparation that saves time on site
Clearing the work areas is the simplest way to help. Empty the cabinets under sinks, take down pictures and shelves on walls where openings are likely, pull furniture away from bathroom and kitchen walls, and clear a path to the attic hatch or crawlspace door. Fragile pieces in neighboring rooms are safer packed away, because cutting and fastening send vibration through the framing.
Work that belongs to the plumber
Cutting into the old system, laying out and joining new pipe, connecting at the main shutoff and the water heater, and pressure testing are skilled tasks where a mistake surfaces later as a leak inside a closed wall. Each joining method has its own tools and steps: PEX fittings must be crimped, clamped, expanded or pressed exactly as the maker specifies, and copper joints must be cleaned and then soldered or pressed correctly. Line size matters as well, since pipe that is too small brings back the weak showers the repipe was meant to cure. An owner who has swapped a faucet or a toilet fill valve has useful skills, but a whole system is a different scale of work. A look at how a whole home repipe is carried out shows how much is involved.
Finishing work after testing
Once the new lines have been pressure-tested and checked, the openings can be closed, and this is where many owners step in: patching drywall, matching texture and repainting. Agree in writing which openings the plumber will patch, if any, and which are yours, and never close a wall before the new piping has been tested and checked. If you intend to change faucets or shutoff valves yourself later, ask what connection type the new stubs use; for anything beyond a simple swap, book a faucet and valve repair.
Questions about doing part of a repipe yourself in Lithia Springs
Can I open the walls myself to cut down the work?
It is possible but rarely worth it. The plumber chooses where openings go based on the route the new pipe will take, and a hole in the wrong place means patching two spots instead of one. Owners usually do better taking on the cleanup and finishing after testing, where the work is predictable and easy to plan around.
When can I start patching the openings?
Once you have the go-ahead, look into each opening with the water on before you patch, since a slow seep is far easier to spot now than after paint.
What should I check after the plumber leaves?
Run each faucet and shower on hot and cold, flush each toilet, and look under each sink and around the water heater for drips. With all water off, watch the meter to be sure it stays still. Clean the faucet aerators after a week or so, since small bits of debris from the work tend to collect there.
Share the work with a plumber
Thinking about rolling up your sleeves for part of the job? Talk with Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448 about a sensible split of the work on your Lithia Springs repipe.