Yes. For most Albuquerque repipes and supply line replacements we recommend PEX — it is freeze-tolerant, resists the mineral scale our hard water causes, and requires far fewer wall openings to install. Copper remains a good choice where its specific advantages matter.

PEX

Why it suits this market: PEX expands rather than splitting when water freezes inside it, which genuinely matters given New Mexico’s sharp overnight temperature drops and the number of local homes with supply lines running through unconditioned space. Its smooth interior resists the scale buildup that narrows other materials over decades. And because it flexes around obstacles, installing it means fewer access holes and less drywall repair.

Considerations: it cannot be exposed to UV light, so it needs protection in any location with light exposure.

Copper

Advantages: a long proven record, handles high temperatures, resists bacterial growth, and holds up to UV. Many homeowners simply trust it more, which is a legitimate consideration.

Considerations: higher material and labor cost, more joints, more access holes since it does not flex, and it splits when frozen rather than expanding. It can also develop pinhole corrosion depending on water chemistry.

CPVC

Lower cost rigid plastic. It works, but it becomes brittle with age and cracks at fittings, so we use it selectively rather than as a default.

What We Never Reuse

Galvanized steel and polybutylene. Both are at end of life wherever they are found, and tying new pipe into either defeats the purpose of the work.

The Detail That Matters as Much as Material

Transitions. Older Albuquerque homes have mixed materials from decades of piecemeal repairs, and joining dissimilar metals without a dielectric fitting causes galvanic corrosion that eats the joint from within. Getting the connections right is what determines whether a good material actually performs.

Worth Doing Alongside

New angle stops and supply lines, a pressure reducing valve if pressure is high, and a water softener to protect the new system.

Contact B. Carlson about repiping and water lines in Albuquerque.