Nearly half of Wilson's homes were built before 1980, and the city's historic districts hold houses much older than that, so worn supply pipe is common. A repipe replaces it with PEX or copper, in sections or throughout. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Wilson.
Wilson's homes and water
Wilson's median home was built in 1983, and about 46% predate 1980, per Census survey data. The Old Wilson, West Nash Street and East Wilson historic districts hold early-1900s houses that may still have galvanized steel or early copper. The city uses free chlorine, not chloramine, according to its 2022 water quality report. The city owns the service line from the main to the property line or meter pit; the customer owns the portion on private property. Wilson's lead service line inventory covers homes built in 1986 or earlier, nearly 10,000 homes, and the city has offered a possible $25 utility credit for reporting pipe material.
What to do now
- Check your pipe material. Look where the line enters the house. If your home was built in 1986 or earlier, report what you find to the city.
- Note leaks and pressure. Repeat leaks or weak flow everywhere point to the pipe.
- Know where your line starts. Your responsibility begins at the property line or meter pit.
- Plan for the water heater. If it's in a garage, Wilson requires it elevated 18 inches, and the city lists that among its top code violations.
- Get a plumber's scope. Ask what should be replaced and why.
Symptoms and causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Brown water at the first draw | Rusting galvanized pipe |
| Pressure low throughout the house | Scale inside old pipe |
| Wet ground between the meter and the house | A leak in the customer-owned service line |
| Pinhole leaks in copper | Long-term internal corrosion |
| Leaks at gray plastic fittings | Failing polybutylene |
What sets the price
- House size and fixture count
- Plaster walls in historic houses versus drywall
- Crawl space or slab access
- PEX or copper
- Whether the private service line is included
The City of Wilson Inspections Department issues permits at the Permit Desk in City Hall; outside city jurisdiction, Wilson County Inspections handles them. The plumber normally applies. In a historic house, routing new lines through the crawl space keeps openings in plaster to a minimum, and it's worth replacing the fixture shutoffs and main valve while the work is underway.
Repiping questions in Wilson
My town did a service line inventory. Does it tell me about the pipes inside?
Is the pipe from the meter to the house part of a repipe?
Why does water pressure drop in houses with galvanized pipe?
Can we stay in the house while the pipes are replaced?
More plumbing services in Wilson
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