Quick guide
- Galvanized steel (older homes) — rusts from the inside; pinhole leaks and low pressure.
- Copper — long-lasting, but pinholes and joint leaks happen.
- Polybutylene (gray plastic, roughly late 1970s–1990s) — known for fitting failures.
- PEX (most newer homes) — flexible; failures are usually at fittings and manifolds.
Warning signs by type
- Galvanized: brown water, falling pressure, rust spots at joints
- Copper: green stains at fittings, pinhole drips
- Polybutylene: any leak — many owners replace it proactively
- PEX: drips at crimp rings or manifolds — see new construction moisture
How to tell what you have
Look where pipes enter the water heater, under sinks, and at the main shut-off — see main shut-off guide. A plumber can confirm and advise on replacement.
If one leaks
Shut off the water, call a plumber for the pipe, and call us for the water damage. See plumber or restoration first? Vault documents the damage, records daily moisture readings, scopes in Xactimate, and bills State Farm, USAA, Allstate, Farmers, and Bear River Mutual directly.
Pipe leak?
Call (385) 250-2825 — answered live 24/7 by the Vault crew.