Broken Water Line
If you are experiencing mold, wet spots on the walls, floors, or ceilings, or a musty odor indoors, you may have a water leak inside your house. If this is the case, call a plumber. However, if you suspect your water leak is outside the house, Cascade Utilities can help.
How do I know if my underground water line is broken?
1. Increased water bill. If your water bill has increased, you may have a water leak.2. Water in the yard. If there are puddles in your yard, especially when it’s not raining, you may have a water leak3. Spinning water meter when all plumbing fixtures are shut off.
Why should you call Cascade Utilities instead of a plumber for an outdoor water leak?
Plumbers are licensed to fix water leaks indoors. When it comes to outdoor water leaks, plumbers do not have machinery to excavate and will charge the same indoor plumbing rate even though a plumbing license is not required for outdoor projects. Cascade Utilities specializes in excavation and is equipped with the tools to solve your water leak problems quickly and efficiently.
Steps for fixing a broken water line
1. Locate the leak. There are companies that specialize in leak detection who can help find leaks. However, often there is no need for a leak detector because the ground is wet enough to find the leak visually. If the leak is under asphalt, then a leak detection service may be necessary.2. Begin excavation. If the leak is under asphalt then the asphalt is cut and removed. An excavator us used to excavate most of the material until the pipe is located, then shovels are used to clear around the pipe for the repair. 3. Water shut off. Once the location of the leak is found, water is shut off so the pipe can be drained before the repair.4. Fix leak. The damaged area of pipe is removed and repaired (see photo 3). The type of repair depends on the type of pipe (copper, poly, PVC). 5. Test repair. Before the ditch is backfilled, the water is turned on so the repair can be tested. 6. Backfill with new material around the repair. New dry material is brought in to backfill around the pipe (see photo 1).7. Patch asphalt. If the repair took place in a road, the asphalt is patched (see photo 2).
.JPG "Photo 2. Ashpalt Patch")
What causes water line leaks?
1. Improper installation. Improper installation could mean not backfilling correctly, not properly installing fittings, installing the water line directly on top of another pipe, using galvanized steel fittings on a copper line, 2. Water pressure. Especially for sprinkler systems, high water pressure can break pipes. A pressure flow valve can be installed to lower the system’s pressure.3. New construction. New construction around the water line can cause damage.4. Time. Over time chemicals in the water can erode metal people, leading to their failure.5. Freeze and thawing. When pipes freeze the water expands and can burst pipes.
If you are having any of these issues, give us a call so we can help you assess and discuss options.