Video · Plumbing Pipes, Faucets and Disposals
Replacing Old Pipes: New Copper Overhead, Old Line Cut Out
Replacing old pipes usually means running the new line first and cutting out the old one last, so you're without water for as little time as possible. That's the order in this basement.
Job footageSwiftPro
- Topic
- Plumbing Pipes, Faucets and Disposals
- Length
- 0:32
- Posted
- September 23, 2026
- Shot by
- The SwiftPro crew, Northern Virginia
What you’re seeing in this video
In a basement near the water heater, a SwiftPro tech in a headlamp and gloves fits new copper water lines along the ceiling joists. The runs and joints overhead are fresh copper, that bright orange it shows before it ages to brown.
Then he cuts out a section of the old pipe with a power saw, and sparks fly off the blade. Turn the sound up. That cut is the part the clip is built around.
The basement around the water heater holds a lot of a home's main supply piping, which makes it the usual starting point when a house gets new water lines.
Why it matters in your house
- Look at the pipes in your basement ceiling. Green crust at copper joints, rust or white scale on steel, and damp spots on the floor below are all reasons to have them checked.
- Older homes sometimes still have galvanized steel water lines. They rust from the inside, so low pressure and brown water show up long before a leak does.
- A single leak can be a repair. Repeated leaks in the same system are usually the pipes telling you they're done.
How long do copper water pipes last?
Copper often lasts 50 years or more, but water chemistry matters. Hard or acidic water can pit it from the inside and cause pinhole leaks much sooner. If you've had two or three pinholes in a few years, the rest of the pipe is likely thin too, and replacing old pipes starts to make more sense than patching.
Want it done at your place? See Plumbing Pipes, Faucets and Disposals at SwiftPro or call (703) 997-9757.
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