Hear from Our Customers
Your insurance company stops threatening to drop your coverage. That’s the first thing most Gold Hill homeowners notice after Kitec repair.
The second thing is peace of mind. You’re not wondering if today’s the day a pipe bursts while you’re at work. You’re not checking for wet spots on the ceiling every time you walk through the house.
Kitec plumbing problems don’t announce themselves. The brass fittings corrode from the inside. The pipes degrade where you can’t see them. Then one day you’ve got water pouring through your kitchen ceiling, and you’re looking at $15,000 in water damage on top of the $8,000 to replace the system.
Full Kitec replacement in Gold Hill means you’re done with that risk. Modern PEX or copper piping doesn’t have the design flaws that made Kitec fail. You get reliable water lines that actually last, installed by licensed plumbers who’ve been doing this work in El Dorado County for over two decades.
We’ve worked in Gold Hill and throughout El Dorado County for more than 24 years. We were here when the first Kitec recalls happened in 2005, and we’ve been replacing these systems ever since.
Gold Hill homes built between 1995 and 2007 are prime candidates for Kitec. If you bought your house in that window and haven’t checked your plumbing, there’s a real chance you’re sitting on a system that’s already past its expected lifespan. Most Kitec installations were only designed to last about 10 years.
We don’t show up and try to upsell you. We inspect your system, show you exactly what’s happening, and give you a clear price before any work starts. That’s how we’ve built our reputation here.
First, we confirm you actually have Kitec. The pipes are usually orange or gray with brass fittings, and they’ll have “Kitec” or “KTC” stamped on them. If you’re not sure, we can identify them during an inspection.
Once we know what we’re dealing with, we map out your entire plumbing system. That tells us how much pipe needs replacing and where access points are. Then we give you an exact cost, not a range or an estimate that changes later.
The actual replacement depends on your home’s layout. In most Gold Hill properties, we’re looking at $5,000 to $15,000 for a complete system. Larger homes or difficult access points cost more. Smaller homes with open crawl spaces cost less.
We replace the old Kitec with either PEX or copper, depending on what makes sense for your house and your budget. The work usually takes a few days. We shut off water to specific areas as we go, so you’re not completely without water the entire time. When we’re done, you’ve got a plumbing system that meets current code and doesn’t carry the failure risk that Kitec does.
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Complete Kitec repair in Gold Hill means replacing all the Kitec pipe in your home, not just the section that’s leaking right now. Partial repairs don’t solve the problem. The rest of the system is the same age and has the same defects.
We handle both hot and cold water lines. Kitec was used for both, and both fail. We also replace any Kitec connected to your water heater, which is a common trouble spot because the heat accelerates the breakdown of those brass fittings.
Gold Hill sits in an area where winter temperatures drop and summer heat climbs. That temperature swing is hard on Kitec systems. The pipes expand and contract, the fittings corrode faster, and the plastic degrades. Replacing the system now, before a major failure, saves you from dealing with emergency pricing and water damage restoration costs.
You’ll also get documentation of the work. That matters when you sell the house or when your insurance company asks if the Kitec has been removed. Some insurers in California won’t cover homes with Kitec at all. Others charge higher premiums or require bigger deductibles. Proof of replacement fixes that problem.
Check your pipes near the water heater, under sinks, or in the crawl space. Kitec pipes are usually bright orange, blue, or gray. The fittings are brass and often have “Kitec” or “KTC” stamped on them.
If your home was built or had plumbing work done between 1995 and 2007, there’s a higher chance Kitec was used. It was popular during that period because it was cheap and easy to install. That’s also why it’s failing now.
If you’re not sure, call us. We can identify Kitec during a basic inspection. It’s worth knowing, especially if you’re planning to sell the house or renew your homeowner’s insurance. Both situations get complicated when Kitec is involved.
You can, but it doesn’t fix the underlying issue. If one section of Kitec is failing, the rest of the system is the same age and has the same defects. You’re just buying time until the next leak.
Most Gold Hill homeowners who go the repair route end up calling us back within a year or two for another leak. At that point, they’ve spent money on multiple repairs and still need a full replacement. It’s more cost-effective to replace the whole system once.
Insurance companies also don’t care if you patched one leak. They care that Kitec is still in the house. If you’re dealing with coverage issues or trying to sell, partial repairs won’t solve that problem. Full replacement does.
Most full replacements run between $5,000 and $15,000, depending on the size of your home and how accessible the pipes are. Smaller homes with open crawl spaces are on the lower end. Larger homes with pipes buried in walls or concrete are on the higher end.
We give you an exact price before we start. No surprises, no “we found additional issues” charges halfway through. You’ll know what you’re paying upfront.
Emergency Kitec leak repair costs more. If a pipe bursts and you need someone out immediately, you’re looking at 1.5 to 2 times the normal rate. That’s industry standard for after-hours or emergency work. If your Kitec hasn’t failed yet, scheduling a planned replacement saves you that premium.
Probably not. Most insurance policies don’t cover the cost of replacing defective materials. They’ll cover damage caused by a sudden leak, but not the cost of removing the Kitec itself.
That said, replacing Kitec can restore your coverage or lower your premiums. Some insurance companies in California refuse to insure homes with Kitec. Others will insure you but charge higher rates or require a larger deductible. Once the Kitec is gone and you can prove it, those issues go away.
If you’re shopping for new insurance or renewing your policy, ask your agent how Kitec affects your coverage. That conversation often makes the replacement cost easier to justify. You’re not just fixing a plumbing problem—you’re protecting your ability to insure the house.
Most jobs take two to four days, depending on the size of your home and how the plumbing is routed. We work in sections so you’re not completely without water the entire time.
We’ll shut off water to specific areas as we replace the pipe in those zones. Once that section is done and tested, we move to the next. You’ll have limited water access during the day, but we make sure you’ve got working toilets and sinks by the time we leave each evening.
If your home has unusual access challenges—like pipes encased in concrete or routed through finished walls—it can take longer. We’ll tell you that upfront during the estimate so you know what to expect.
You’re looking at water damage, emergency plumber rates, and a much bigger bill. A burst pipe can dump gallons of water into your walls, ceilings, and floors in minutes. Drywall, insulation, flooring, and anything stored nearby gets soaked.
Water damage restoration costs add up fast. You’re paying for water extraction, drying equipment, mold prevention, and repairs to whatever got damaged. That’s on top of the emergency plumbing bill, which runs 1.5 to 2 times normal rates.
If it happens, shut off your main water line immediately. That’s usually near your water meter or where the line enters the house. Then call us. We’re available 24/7 for emergencies like this. The faster you stop the water and get a plumber out, the less damage you’ll deal with.
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