Galvanized: time to go
If your home still has galvanized steel supply lines, they're the problem, not the solution. Galvanized rusts from the inside out — it narrows the flow, drops your pressure, and eventually leaks. In any older Bay Ridge home I open up, galvanized is the first thing I look to replace.
Copper: the proven standard
Copper has been the reliable choice for decades. It's rigid, it's durable, and it handles heat and pressure without complaint. It costs more in labor because every joint is soldered, but it lasts. For exposed runs and tight, permanent installations, copper is still the gold standard.
PEX: the modern workhorse
PEX is flexible, resists freezing better than rigid pipe, and goes in faster — which means less wall opened up. For repipes where I'm fishing lines through finished walls and floors, PEX often lets me do the job with the least disruption. It's not right everywhere, but it's the right call more often than people think.
- •Galvanized: replace — it's failing from the inside
- •Copper: durable, soldered joints, best for exposed permanent runs
- •PEX: flexible, faster install, less demolition for repipes
How I decide
It depends on the run, the access, the budget, and how much of the wall I want to open. I'll look at what you've got and tell you straight which material makes sense for your home. Call and describe the situation.
Have a plumbing issue right now?
Call and leave a voicemail — Bob calls back during business hours. For the fastest reply (usually within the hour), email him directly.