Replacement of water pipes

Hello everyone,

my husband and I have bought a single-family house (built in 1974). As part of the bathroom/toilet renovation, we considered also replacing the old galvanized steel pipes.

Currently, the pipes look good from the outside, i.e. the water runs clear. No rust is visible.

The house is in very good and well-maintained condition. You can see that the previous owners took great care of their belongings. The building expert we consulted said we should leave the pipes in place. However, he assumed (after looking at the pipes in the basement) that we have copper pipes in the house. The - now discovered - construction description from 1974, however, states that galvanized steel pipes were installed.

Therefore my question: Is replacement absolutely necessary? In view of the upcoming renovation, I do not necessarily want to replace pipes as well. However, I can hardly assess this and don’t want to have to deal with the pipes again in half a year if there is a water damage...

And above all: do the pipes need to be replaced in the ENTIRE house? Or is it enough to replace sections in the walls of the bathroom/toilet and leave the risers?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Do you have the walls open anyway? Are you renovating the bathrooms anyway? Then I would replace them at the same time. I wouldn’t tear open just the walls for the pipes extra. But I would rely on expert advice for that. I would ask your expert again with the new information. They will certainly help you.

So without an on-site appointment, this is more like AstroTV...

Thanks in advance for the answers.

I understand that this cannot be answered in a general way, but maybe someone has had similar thoughts and can share their experiences here.

I am actually someone who either does something completely or not at all. That’s why I also have reservations about renovating without touching the pipes. The question is, do I have to do that everywhere, or are the parts in the bathroom sufficient?!

I just can’t imagine why only one part should be replaced when all the pipes in the house are under strain...

Well, I don't understand the question... you write something about all or nothing... but ask about partial replacement... so if then complete, or not at all...

To what extent that is necessary... cannot be determined without an inspection

As part of our renovation, we replaced all the pipes But that is not a reference. The house was built in 1962
It largely depends on the extent of your renovation and how much money you have left.