Whole House Repiping in Stone Mountain, GA

A basement can make whole house repiping much easier, or a little more involved, depending on whether it is finished. Either way, it is usually where the water enters the house, where the main shutoff and water heater sit, and where the trunk lines run before branching up to the floors above. Alpha Plumbing and Sewer begins assessments of Stone Mountain basement homes down there, because that is where the new system is anchored.

Unfinished basements: the easy case

With open joists overhead, the old supply lines are visible from one end to the other, and the new trunk can run along a beam or between joists with little disruption. Branches rise through the floor into walls and cabinets above, and old pipe hanging in the open can be taken down and carried out. Openings upstairs are mostly limited to fixtures that cannot be reached from below, such as second-floor bathrooms.

Finished basements: working around the ceiling

A drywall ceiling hides those same routes. A few approaches keep the damage down:

• Following existing soffits or bulkheads, which often already enclose pipe or ductwork.
• Lifting tiles where part of the ceiling is a drop ceiling.
• Running lines through a utility room, closet or storage area left unfinished.
• Cutting long, narrow strips in the direction of the joists, which are easier to patch than scattered holes.

Access panels at valves and junctions allow later service without new cuts.

Where the water comes in

The service line usually enters through the basement wall or floor, close to the main shutoff. A repipe starts at that valve, so its condition matters, and so does the seal around the pipe where it passes through the foundation. If the pipe outside the wall is old or leaking, replacing it is a separate job handled through main water line repair.

Sweating pipes and basement humidity

Cold water lines in a humid basement often collect condensation in summer, and the drips can stain ceilings or soak stored boxes. It is not a leak, though it can look like one. Insulating the cold lines as part of the repipe stops the sweating, and insulation on hot lines keeps them from shedding heat on the way upstairs.

Basement fixtures and pumps

A basement bathroom, laundry or bar sink gets new supply lines like any other fixture. Fixtures set below the level of the sewer often drain into a sewage ejector pump, and groundwater may be handled by a sump pump. Both are separate from the supply system, but if either is aging, it makes sense to have the sump or sewage pump checked while the crew is already downstairs. Our overview of whole home repiping follows the job from the walk-through to the final patch.

Repiping before finishing a basement

If finishing the basement is on your list, repipe first. Open joists make the work faster and cleaner, and valves can be placed where they will stay reachable once the ceiling goes up. It is also the moment to cap off connections for any fixture you might add down there later.

Stone Mountain permits

Stone Mountain asks people to contact City Hall before starting any construction, even work they believe needs no permit, as its Building Department page explains. The plumbing permit application is filed by the contractor with license documents, or by an owner with a homeowner's affidavit, and the permit has to be posted at the house while the work is under way.

Questions about repiping a basement home in Stone Mountain

Will my finished basement ceiling have to come down?

Rarely all of it. Routes can often follow existing soffits, pass through unfinished utility areas or use sections of drop ceiling. Where drywall must be opened, long narrow strips along the joists are easier to patch than many small holes. The plumber can show you the planned openings before work starts, so you know what to expect.

Why do the cold pipes in my basement drip in summer?

Usually condensation. Cold water inside the pipe chills its surface, and moisture in humid basement air collects on it as droplets. The drips can pass for a leak but stop when the air dries out. Pipe insulation on cold lines prevents it, and a dehumidifier helps too. A real leak, by contrast, keeps going whatever the weather.

Should the main shutoff in the basement be replaced during the repipe?

Usually it is worth it. The new system is only as easy to shut off as its main valve, and an old gate valve that has sat open for years may not close fully. A quarter-turn ball valve fitted at the start of the repipe, with the seal around the pipe at the foundation checked at the same time, gives you a dependable way to stop the water.

Start in the basement

A basement full of old pipe is a good place to start. To plan new lines for your Stone Mountain home from the water entry up, call Alpha Plumbing and Sewer at (404) 409-4448.