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Whole-Home Repipe After a Slab Leak in Los Lunas
This isn't the first slab leak. Maybe it's the second in a few years, maybe a different room each time. At some point the question stops being how to fix this leak and becomes whether the pipes themselves are the problem.
A whole-home repipe replaces the supply lines throughout the house. In a slab home, the new lines usually run overhead through the attic and down inside the walls, so the old under-slab piping is taken out of service entirely.
Chapter 1
When the leaks start forming a pattern
One leak can be bad luck. Repeat leaks in different spots often suggest the pipe as a whole is wearing, whether from age, water chemistry, ground movement or a mix of all three. Each spot repair fixes one point and leaves the rest of that ageing pipe in place.
If you're not sure what you've been seeing counts, our list of slab leak signs can help you sort it out before you call.
A repipe conversation makes sense when
- The house has had two or more slab leaks on different lines.
- A technician noticed thinning or corrosion at an earlier repair opening.
- You're planning a remodel and walls will be open anyway.
Chapter 2
Choosing a pipe material
Most repipes today use PEX or copper. PEX is flexible plastic tubing that bends around corners with fewer fittings and is often quicker to install. Copper is rigid metal with a long track record and its own set of joints and tools. Both are widely used.
Which suits your house depends on the layout, your budget and your preferences. The technician will explain what they recommend and why, and price the options so you can compare. For lifespan questions, ask to see the manufacturer's information for whatever you choose.
Why a slab house gets a repipe through the attic
Re-laying pipe under the slab would mean opening floors across the house. Instead, the new system starts at the main line, rises into the attic, runs across and drops to each fixture inside the walls. In single-storey Los Lunas homes, that overhead path is often fairly direct.
Attic lines are typically insulated and fastened so they're protected from the temperature swings up there. If only the hot side has given trouble so far, rerouting just the hot lines may be worth discussing first.
Chapter 3
A whole house repipe, start to finish
- 01
Walkthrough
Every fixture, the water heater and the planned route are mapped, along with where wall openings will go.
- 02
Pricing and plan
You get upfront pricing and agree on a schedule before anything starts.
- 03
Installation
New lines are run and connected fixture by fixture. Old under-slab supply lines are capped and abandoned.
- 04
Testing
The whole system is pressure tested before the walls are closed.
- 05
Patching
Access openings are patched. Ask what level of finish is included.
Chapter 4
Living in the house while it's done
Most families stay home during a repipe. Expect some noise, dust near the work areas and planned periods without water. Ask how the crew plans the shut-offs so you know when you'll have a working kitchen and bathroom.
Clear access to closets, the attic hatch and the walls behind sinks and toilets makes the work go more smoothly. Pets often do better in a closed room or away for the day.
Chapter 5
Details to settle before a repipe starts
A repipe is a bigger project than a spot repair, so it pays to agree on the details first. These are the questions owners often find most useful.
- Which fixtures are included? Confirm outdoor spigots, the laundry, the ice maker line and the water heater connections are all on the list.
- Where will each opening be? A marked-up walkthrough avoids surprises in finished rooms.
- How will attic lines be protected? Ask about insulation and fastening along the route.
- What is the shut-off schedule? Plan around the times you'll be without a working kitchen or bathroom.
- What finish comes with the patches? A basic patch, texture or paint, and who handles anything beyond that.
- How are the old lines left? Under-slab supply lines are normally capped and left in place. Ask where the caps will be.
Chapter 6
Repipe after a slab leak in Los Lunas homes
The repipe question comes up most in East Los Lunas, where many 1970s–1990s homes still have original copper under the slab and have already had a leak or two. Owners there often weigh a second spot repair against moving everything overhead.
Around the Village Center, older houses may have a patchwork of pipe materials from different decades. A repipe can replace that mix with one consistent system, though the layout and construction of these homes take more planning.
If a leak is active right now
- Watch the meter to gauge how quickly water is escaping.
- For a hot-side leak, close the water heater's cold inlet valve. Gas and electrical controls stay as they are.
- Close the main if water appears on the floor.
- Keep photos of every leak and repair. A history helps when planning a repipe.
- Don't open walls or floors ahead of the crew.
Smell gas? Leave the home and call the gas utility and 911 from outside.
Chapter 7
Repipe questions
The technician can go deeper on any of these during the walkthrough.
Not automatically, but it's a good time to ask. A second leak, especially on a different line, can suggest the pipe is wearing more widely. The technician can look at where the leaks were, the condition of any exposed pipe and the layout of your home, then price a spot repair, a reroute and a repipe side by side so you can decide.
That depends on the size of the house, the number of fixtures, attic access and the pipe material. A small single-storey home is a different job from a larger one with several bathrooms. The technician will give you a schedule during the walkthrough, including when water will be off.
No. Openings are made at specific points where lines need to enter, exit or connect to fixtures, typically behind sinks, toilets, showers and appliances. Long runs go through the attic. The technician can mark the planned opening locations during the walkthrough.
Both are common. PEX is flexible, needs fewer fittings and is often quicker to install. Copper is rigid and has been used for a long time. The right choice depends on your house, your budget and your preferences. Ask the technician to explain their recommendation and price both if you're undecided.
Most people do. There will be noise, some dust and planned periods without water. Ask the crew how they schedule shut-offs and what areas of the house they'll need access to each day, so you can plan around them.
A repipe takes the under-slab supply lines out of service, so those particular lines can no longer leak beneath the floor. The new lines run overhead where they're easier to reach. No one can promise any plumbing system will never need attention, but future problems would be above the slab.
Whether a permit applies depends on the scope of the work and local requirements. The technician will tell you whether your repipe needs one and what the process involves. We don't make general statements about permits because they depend on the specific job.
Access openings are closed and patched once the new lines are tested. The level of finish varies: some prices include texture and paint, others leave a patched surface ready for painting. Ask exactly what's included so you can plan any finishing work.
No. A repipe covers the water supply lines that feed your fixtures. Drain and sewer lines under the slab are a separate system. If you suspect a drain problem, a drain specialist is the right call.
A repipe replaces the supply lines and reconnects them to your water heater, but it doesn't normally include replacing the heater itself. If yours is due for replacement anyway, ask whether it makes sense to coordinate the two jobs. The technician can price that work separately so you can decide.
Tired of making the same call?
Talk through whether a repipe makes sense for your house.
Get upfront pricing for a repipe