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If you’ve got Kitec plumbing in your Elk Grove home, you already know the problem. Your insurance company might’ve flagged it. A home inspector might’ve mentioned it. Or maybe you’re just now learning that those orange and blue pipes installed between 1995 and 2007 are ticking time bombs.
Here’s what matters: Kitec pipes don’t just leak. They burst without warning, causing floods that lead to tens of thousands in damage—sometimes more. The brass fittings break down through a process called dezincification, and when they go, they go hard.
Replacing your Kitec system means you sleep better. Your insurance stays active. Your home value doesn’t tank when you go to sell. And you’re not gambling on whether this is the year your pipes decide to fail.
We handle the full replacement—assessment, installation, drywall repair, cleanup. You get copper or PEX piping that’ll last decades, installed by licensed professionals who’ve done this plenty of times in Elk Grove and throughout Sacramento County.
Murray Plumbing has been handling emergency plumbing situations across Elk Grove, CA for years. We’re the team that answers at 2 a.m. when a pipe bursts, and we’re the same team that shows up on time for scheduled Kitec replacements.
Our reputation in Elk Grove comes from doing what we say we’ll do. We give you an exact price before we start, and some customers have told us the final bill came in lower than the estimate. That’s not a sales tactic—it’s just how we operate.
With a 4.7 out of 5 rating based on 93 Google reviews, we’ve earned trust by being straight with people. Kitec replacement isn’t cheap, but it’s necessary. We’ll walk you through what’s involved, what it costs, and why waiting only increases your risk.
First, we come out and assess your system. We’ll identify where your Kitec piping runs, what fittings need to go, and what access points we’ll need. You’ll get a detailed estimate before any work starts—no surprises, no upselling.
Once you approve, we schedule the replacement. Most jobs take one to three days depending on your home’s size and layout. We shut off water to the affected areas, remove all Kitec pipes and fittings, and install new copper or PEX lines that meet current code standards.
We cut into drywall only where necessary, and we patch and finish it properly when we’re done. You won’t see rough edges or half-done repairs. When we leave, your plumbing works, your walls look right, and you’ve got a system that’ll last 50+ years instead of wondering when the next leak hits.
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Kitec was installed in hundreds of thousands of homes across North America, including many built in Elk Grove during the late ’90s and early 2000s. It was marketed as a cost-effective alternative to copper. Then it started failing—badly enough that the manufacturer recalled the fittings in 2005 and eventually settled a class action lawsuit for $125 million.
The problem is dezincification. The brass fittings contain high levels of zinc, which breaks down when exposed to hot water and oxygen. That creates blockages, pressure buildup, and eventually, bursts. There’s no way to stop it. Lowering your water heater temperature might slow it down temporarily, but it won’t prevent failure.
Insurance companies in Elk Grove and across California now treat Kitec as a liability. Many won’t cover water damage from Kitec failures, and some won’t insure homes with it at all. If you’re selling, buyers will either walk away or demand a price reduction to cover replacement costs—typically $5,000 to $15,000 depending on your home’s size.
The only real solution is full replacement. Partial fixes don’t work because the entire system is compromised. You need all the Kitec out and a reliable system in.
Check your exposed pipes—usually in the basement, crawl space, or near your water heater. Kitec pipes are typically marked with orange (hot water) or blue (cold water) plastic sleeves, though sometimes they’re gray or black.
Look for brand names stamped on the pipes: Kitec, PlumbBetter, IPEX AQUA, WarmRite, XPA, or AmbioComfort. The brass fittings are another giveaway—they’re often a dull yellow or gold color and may show white or green corrosion.
If your home was built or renovated between 1995 and 2007 in Elk Grove, there’s a higher chance you have it. When in doubt, call us for a free assessment. We’ll identify it quickly and give you a straight answer about what needs to happen next.
Here’s the thing: you can’t really “repair” Kitec. You can patch a leak temporarily, but the underlying issue—dezincification of the brass fittings—affects the entire system. One leak today means another one’s coming soon.
Full Kitec replacement in Elk Grove typically runs between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on your home’s size, how much piping needs to go, and how accessible everything is. Larger homes or complex layouts cost more. Smaller homes with straightforward plumbing cost less.
We give you an exact price upfront after assessing your system. No hidden fees, no change orders unless you ask us to do additional work. And honestly, the cost of replacement is a fraction of what you’d pay in water damage, mold remediation, and insurance headaches if those pipes burst.
Most insurance companies in California either won’t cover Kitec-related damage or they’ll apply a much higher deductible—sometimes $10,000 or more. Some insurers refuse to write policies for homes with Kitec at all.
If you haven’t told your insurance company you have Kitec and a pipe bursts, they might deny your claim entirely. That’s a worst-case scenario, but it happens. The good news: once you replace the system, that special deductible goes away and your coverage goes back to normal.
Before you do anything, contact your insurance provider and ask about their Kitec policy. Then call us. We’ll give you documentation of the replacement that you can submit to your insurer, which often helps with premium adjustments or coverage reinstatement.
Most residential Kitec replacements take one to three days. Smaller homes with simple layouts might be done in a day. Larger homes or properties with multiple bathrooms and complex plumbing might take closer to three.
We work efficiently, but we don’t rush. Cutting corners on a repipe job just creates problems later. We’ll map out the work, remove all Kitec pipes and fittings, install new copper or PEX lines, test everything for leaks, and repair any drywall we had to access.
You’ll have limited water access during the work, but we’ll coordinate with you to minimize disruption. We can often leave certain areas functional while we work on others. By the time we’re done, you’ll have a fully operational system and peace of mind that it’s not going to fail on you.
No, and here’s why: even though the brass fittings are the main failure point, the pipes themselves degrade over time too. Replacing just the fittings means you’re still working with old, compromised piping that could fail.
More importantly, no reputable plumber in Elk Grove is going to warranty a partial Kitec replacement. The risk is too high. If we replace the fittings and leave the pipes, and those pipes fail six months later, you’re back to square one—except now you’ve paid for work twice.
The only way to truly eliminate the risk is a complete system replacement. It costs more upfront, but it’s the only approach that actually solves the problem. You get decades of reliable plumbing instead of a temporary patch that buys you a year or two at best.
Shut off your main water supply immediately—usually near your water meter or where the main line enters your home. Then call us. We offer 24/7 emergency service in Elk Grove specifically for situations like this.
Kitec failures can dump hundreds of gallons of water into your home in a short time. The faster you stop the water and get a plumber on-site, the less damage you’ll deal with. We’ll assess the situation, make temporary repairs if possible, and talk through your options for full replacement.
If it’s already flooded, document everything for insurance (even though Kitec claims are tricky). Take photos, save receipts, and get our written assessment. Then let’s get the system replaced so this doesn’t happen again. Waiting after one failure is just gambling that the next one won’t be worse.
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