Do rusty pipes need to be replaced if they aren't leaking?
Surface rust and discoloration can sit on pipes for years without ever causing an active leak. This makes it difficult to know whether you should just ignore the coloring or pay thousands of dollars to plumbing companies quoting for a full replacement.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Painting the pipes with rust-inhibiting paint to prevent further surface rusting.
- 2Calling the utility company to request they come out and paint the equipment for free.
- 3Doing nothing, as surface rust without an active leak is often not a structural issue.
- 4Keeping an eye on the pipes over time without intervening immediately
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“No active leak confirmed. What should I do about these rusty gas pipes above my gas meter? I got a quote of $2000 to replace them by a plumbing company. Is this for par?”source ↗
“This is my pipe and copper 1 goes to the sinks and water on bathroom , big one toilet , it’s been like this for years. Should I be concerned by coloring ?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
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- 17Should I replace old asbestos-wrapped ductwork while walls are open?
- 3Is it worth fixing an AC leak or just keep adding freon?
- 2How to tell if a repaired pipe is still leaking