Galvanized Steel Pipes

House detective Jack Reilly takes us to the nation's capitol to inspect a 1937 brick townhouse. He found some galvanized steel pipe under part of the house, and warned the homeowner that it would eventually have to be replaced. Here's why.

There are two kinds of pipe commonly used to distribute water throughout a home--copper and steel. Copper is durable, but more expensive, so until the 1950s, galvanized steel was widely used. Galvanized pipes rust from the inside out, turning the water brown, staining laundry, restricting water flow, and eventually causing pipes to leak.

Check your home to determine if you have galvanized pipes. It's possible to have a combination of galvanized and copper. Replace any galvanized pipe you find as soon as possible, and help with costs by getting estimates from several licensed plumbing contractors.

Remember, homeowners living with galvanized pipes are living on borrowed time. Replace them as soon as possible.

Guests
Jack Reilly
Building inspector
2219 East Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: 410-276-6444
Also in this Episode

House Detective : Episode HDT-304
•	Galvanized Steel Pipes
•	Garage Door Defect