We repair copper, PEX, CPVC, PVC and ABS, galvanized steel, and cast iron — supply and drain, in homes of every era in the Albuquerque metro. Each material has its own failure pattern and its own correct repair method.

Supply Line Materials

  • Copper. Durable and common. Fails at soldered joints, from pinhole corrosion, and from freeze damage. Repaired by soldering or with press fittings.
  • PEX. Flexible, freeze-tolerant, and standard in modern construction and repipes. Failures are usually at fittings or from UV exposure where it was run improperly.
  • CPVC. Rigid plastic supply pipe. Becomes brittle with age and can crack at fittings.
  • Galvanized steel. Found in older Albuquerque homes and the material we most often recommend replacing rather than repairing. It corrodes from the inside out, restricting flow to a trickle and perforating. Cutting into it frequently reveals more failing pipe adjacent to the repair — which is why repiping often costs less overall than a series of patches.

Drain and Waste Materials

  • PVC and ABS. Standard in modern drain systems. Straightforward to repair and modify.
  • Cast iron. Common in homes built roughly 1940 to 1980. Corrodes from the inside, developing a rough interior that catches debris, then perforates. Repairs use proper transition couplings to modern pipe.
  • Clay. In older sewer laterals. Brittle, with joints that separate and admit roots — usually handled through sewer repair rather than spot patching.

The Detail That Matters: Transitions

Most older Albuquerque homes have mixed materials from decades of piecemeal work. Joining dissimilar metals without a dielectric fitting causes galvanic corrosion that eats the joint from within. Connecting new plastic to old cast iron or clay needs proper transition couplings. Done poorly, these joints leak or catch debris and become the next problem — and they are the most common thing we find wrong with previous repairs.

When to Repipe Instead

If galvanized supply has leaked repeatedly, or pressure has dropped throughout the house, patching is buying months. We show you both numbers.

Contact B. Carlson for pipe repair in Albuquerque.