Water Line Replacement
Abundant streams of water in our homes and workplaces are one of life’s joys—unless they are coming from somewhere unexpected. If that happens, your water main (aka water line) may be broken. Your Atlas Home Services plumber can set things right again.
Signs Your Water Line is Damaged
The most obvious sign your water main is damaged is a stream of water emanating from an unknown source in your basement or in your yard. Persistent humming from your water main when your water-consuming appliances are not in use, loss of water pressure, or an abnormally high water bill can also mean that your water main is broken.
Causes of Water Line Failure
Wear and tear is the most common reason water mains fail—the average lifespan of a line is about 60 years. Shoddy plumbing may be a factor, too, or a disturbance caused by utility work near your line, or by an extraordinary event such as an earthquake.
When Your Water Main Needs Replacing
After assessing the line’s condition, your Atlas plumber will discuss your options with you. Repairs are not permitted on lead piping due to health and environmental concerns, and the age and general condition of your lines will be factors in the decision to repair or replace.
Lines are replaced in one of two ways: Conventional replacement exposes existing lines by soil excavation. Trenchless replacement involves a burst pipe technique that simultaneously feeds a new pipe into the corridor and bursts the old pipe into pieces that are driven into the surrounding soil.