Repiping in Riverdale, GA

When repairs stop keeping up

• Pressure is weak at several fixtures at the same time, not just one faucet
• Repair clamps and patch couplings are already scattered along the exposed lines
• Wet spots in the yard between the meter and the house
• Hot water arrives slowly and weakly even with a working heater
• Water comes out brown or orange after the house sits unused, then slowly clears
• Copper shows dark spots or tiny beads of water along its length
• Several taps lose pressure together, especially upstairs
• Exposed pipe in the crawl space looks scaly, pitted or patched

Riverdale housing, water and permits

Riverdale's median home dates to 1990, and about 33% of housing predates 1980, under Census survey data. The city began as an 1886 railroad stop just south of the airport, and its older streets are the likeliest places for galvanized or early copper.

Clayton County Water Authority supplies Riverdale. CCWA's part runs from the main to the meter; the line from the meter to the house is the customer's. CCWA's completed service line inventory has a public lookup. Riverdale's Trade Permit Application covers plumbing.

What moves the number up or down

• Number of stories: upstairs bathrooms mean longer vertical runs and more places to open walls.
• Wall and ceiling finishes: tile, plaster and finished ceilings slow the work and raise the patching bill.
• Patching after the work: some quotes include drywall patching and others stop at rough repair, so ask.
• Foundation type: a crawl space gives open access underneath, while a slab pushes new lines up into walls and the attic.
• The yard line: adding the buried pipe from the meter to the house means trenching or boring across the lot.
• Access obstacles: built-in cabinets, finished ceilings or a tight crawl space slow the routing.
• House size and fixture count: every bathroom, kitchen, laundry hookup and hose bib adds runs and fittings.
• Phased or all at once: splitting the job into stages can spread the expense but repeats setup work.
• Permits and inspections: the permit office's required rough and final inspections are built into the schedule.

After you dial

When you call, you'll be put in touch with an independent plumber who covers Riverdale. It helps to mention how old the house is, whether it sits on a slab or a crawl space, and how many bathrooms it has. The plumber will want to see the exposed pipe and the main shutoff before quoting. Most repipes need a permit from Riverdale Community Development, which the plumber usually pulls.