Pipe repair and replacement in Manchester and southern NH
Most pipe problems in New Hampshire homes trace back to aging materials, like cast iron waste lines that have started to pit and leak, or old galvanized water supply lines, along with hidden leaks and the occasional frozen pipe. GSMS repairs and replaces both water supply and waste piping across Manchester and southern New Hampshire, using modern methods like ProPress and PEX to bring your plumbing up to date.
The pipes behind your walls do a lot of quiet work, and when something goes wrong, it is rarely at a convenient time. Our Specialists at GSMS have been diagnosing and repairing pipe problems in New Hampshire homes since 1987. Whether you have a mystery leak, an aging cast iron system, or a pipe that froze over the winter, we will find the source and fix it right.
Have a leak or pipe problem? Call 603-424-8258 or contact us online to schedule service.
Common pipe problems we fix
Some pipe issues announce themselves loudly, and others hide until they cause real trouble. Here is what we see most:
- Mystery leaks and water spots. A very common call starts with, "I see a water spot on my ceiling, and I do not know what it is." We track down the source, even when it is hiding behind a wall or ceiling.
- Hidden damage from everyday accidents. Sometimes it is the quirky stuff. We once helped a homeowner in a brand-new construction home who kept hearing a strange sound in a kitchen cabinet. Someone had installed shelving and driven a drywall screw straight into a water pipe, thinking they had hit a stud. We opened the wall and replaced the damaged section.
- Aging cast iron waste pipes. The most common waste-line issue in New Hampshire is old cast iron that has pitted enough to leak or crack. When that happens, it is usually time to upgrade.
- Old copper and galvanized supply lines. Especially in older Manchester homes, we often find aging copper waste lines or galvanized and brass supply piping that has reached the end of its life.
Frequently asked questions
A water spot usually means a pipe is leaking somewhere above or behind it. These leaks are often hidden, so it is best to have a Specialist locate the source before it causes more damage.
Yes. Aging cast iron waste piping is one of the most common issues we see in New Hampshire homes. We typically convert failing cast iron to PVC, though in certain applications cast iron is still the better choice.
ProPress is a modern method for joining copper pipe that creates strong, reliable connections without an open flame. It is our preferred method because it is fast, clean, and dependable.
No, we do not currently offer trenchless options, but we handle a full range of traditional pipe repair and replacement.
Yes, your water will be off for the time we are on site. We always communicate the timing clearly so you can plan around it.
We do not do drywall or carpentry work, but we can refer a trusted carpenter to handle the finish work if you would like.
Insulate exposed piping, use heat tape on runs through unheated spaces like crawl spaces, and make sure heat reaches any pipe in a cold part of the house. If a pipe freezes or bursts, shut off your main water and call us right away.
Pipe materials we work with
The right material depends on your home, its age, and the type of line. Our Specialists work with all of them:
- Cast iron to PVC conversions. For failing cast iron waste pipes, we usually convert to PVC using special adapting fittings. In certain applications, cast iron is still the right choice even in modern homes, and we will tell you when that is the case.
- Copper. Water supply piping is most often copper, and copper remains an excellent, long-lasting choice.
- Galvanized and brass replacement. In older homes, we frequently find galvanized or brass supply lines. We replace these and bring them up to copper, or to PEX when that makes more sense.
- PEX (Uponor AquaPEX). For many supply-line jobs, we use AquaPEX, a flexible, durable PEX product made by Uponor. It is a reliable, modern option that works beautifully in the right application.
Our joining methods and tools
How we connect your pipes matters just as much as the material. Our go-to methods:
- ProPress technology. This is our preferred method for copper. ProPress creates strong, clean, reliable connections without an open flame.
- Soldering. When it is the right call, we also use classic soldered fittings.
- Expansion PEX joints. For PEX runs, we use expansion-style joints. (There is also a crimp-style method out there, but we do not use it, because expansion connections are more reliable.)
Repair or replace: how we help you decide
Sometimes a small, isolated problem in a cast iron line can be repaired by cutting in a coupling and fixing just that section. But once we start looking at an older piping system, we very often find that eight or nine times out of ten, the trouble is not limited to one spot.
In those cases, patching one section is a bit like putting a Band-Aid on a larger problem. If we already have the wall open, it usually makes more sense to address the system properly rather than repair it now and cut back into it again later. We will always walk you through what we are seeing and give you an honest recommendation.
Frozen and burst pipes in New Hampshire
Our cold New Hampshire winters make frozen pipes a real risk, and it almost always comes back to one thing: water sitting in an unheated or poorly conditioned space when temperatures drop.
A few situations we see often:
- Older homes that are new to you. You may not know every place a water line runs. We sometimes find pipes tucked into later additions, like a sunroom off the back, that the previous owner simply knew to watch.
- Boiler systems missing glycol. If a hydronic heating system was supposed to have glycol (antifreeze) added and it never was, that line can freeze up.
To help prevent frozen pipes, we recommend insulating exposed piping, using heat tape on hard-to-reach runs like those crossing a crawl space (and remembering to plug it in when cold weather arrives), and finding a way to get heat to any pipe sitting in a freezing part of the house. If a pipe does freeze or burst, treat it as an emergency, shut off your main water supply, and call us right away.
What to expect when we work on your pipes
- Timeline. We book service as quickly as we can, and for urgent issues we do our best to take care of things the same day. Most non-emergency repairs are handled within one to two weeks, and many jobs are completed in a single day. Larger projects take longer. For example, a whole-home repipe, like a recent Nashua job converting an entire cast iron system to PVC, can run about three days.
- Your water will be off while we work. Expect your water to be shut off for the time we are on site, and we will always communicate clearly about timing.
- Wall patching. To open a wall for a pipe repair, we sometimes need to cut into it. We are plumbers, not carpenters, so we do not patch drywall, but we work with a great carpenter we are happy to refer if you would like the finish work handled.
Pipe repair across southern New Hampshire
From our home base in Manchester, our Specialists handle pipe repair and replacement throughout southern New Hampshire, including Nashua, Bedford, Hooksett, Merrimack, and the surrounding service area.
Pipe work is one piece of our full range of plumbing services. If your pipe issue is tied to your water heater or water quality, we can help there too. Explore our water heater services and water quality services, and ask about the GSMS Home Club to keep your whole system protected.
Ready to fix it right? Call 603-424-8258 or request service online today.
