Everything You Need to Know about Galvanized Plumbing

But do you really need to worry about galvanized pipes? In this article, we’ll get into a little background on these older pipes and talk about what they mean for the health of your home and its plumbing system. If you happen to have galvanized pipes in your home, we’ll give you tips on how to decide if you should keep them or have them replaced.

For most of the modern era, lead pipes were used for building plumbing systems, even for drinking water. Thankfully, we eventually realized that lead pipes are a significant public safety hazard, and iron and steel were identified as alternatives, except for one little snag: iron and steel rust over time.

Enter galvanization. By coating iron and steel in a protective layer of zinc, pipes had a buffer zone against the elements. Starting around 1960, these galvanized pipes became the staple in homes all around the world. Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly a perfect solution.

As time went on, it became clear that there were some problems with galvanized pipes. While a freshly installed network of galvanized steel plumbing typically works without a hitch, after 30 or 40 years, a few issues start to pop up:

● Rust buildup. Galvanized pipes are often victims of corrosion and rust over time. Galvanization doesn’t stop rust; it just creates a new layer on the pipe that is exposed to rust first. But as years and decades go by, the protective zinc layer eventually becomes completely corroded.

● Low pressure and leaks. Homes with galvanized pipes can eventually suffer problems with water pressure and even leaks or pipe bursts. Pipe leaks often occur at the pipe joints — typically behind walls — where the buildup of water and moisture can go unnoticed for long periods of time. This could eventually lead to structural damage, toxic mold and expensive repairs.

● Potential health risks. The zinc layer in galvanized pipes often contains impurities like lead or other heavy metals. Lab tests have found that galvanized pipes can have up to 10 times the amount of lead deemed hazardous by the Environmental Protection Agency. Once corrosion sets in, these contaminants can work their way into your drinking water.

● Rust colored water. Once the interior of galvanized pipes have been corroded enough, iron can get into the water, giving it a rusty brown color.

If you live in an older home, there’s a pretty good chance your plumbing network is using this outdated material. But how can you know for sure?

You don’t have to go digging through building records to determine if your home has galvanized pipes. Just find an area of exposed pipe and scratch it with a nickel or screwdriver to reveal its true color. If it looks like a penny, you have copper piping. If it looks metallic gray, you probably have galvanized steel or iron pipes.

Doing a complete cleaning of your entire plumbing network is probably too extensive for a do-it-yourself project. You can clean the outside of galvanized steel by using a water and laundry detergent solution or distilled white vinegar. If you’re comfortable with shutting off your water main, bleeding your pipes and removing pipe joints then you can clean smaller sections of your pipes by soaking them in vinegar. But, if you’re looking at a network-wide buildup of rust and corrosion, you’re best long-term solution is to just have your plumbing network replaced with more reliable, modern piping.

The short answer is yes. If your home has galvanized pipes, you should definitely consider upgrading. Replacing old pipes with new copper pipes can be expensive, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run. However, if your home's pipes are currently in good condition and you don't plan to live there for decades, some simple maintenance may be sufficient.

The first thing to consider is the potential savings on future repairs. Galvanized pipes are known to deteriorate over time, so replacing them significantly reduces the risk of costly leaks, burst pipes, and flooding.

Over time, accumulated water damage can lead to significant repair costs. And small, undetected leaks can cause invisible damage and waste hundreds or even thousands of gallons of water each year, further increasing your utility bills.