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It’s easy to take water supply lines for granted until something goes wrong with them calling for a water line repair need. The average American family uses about 300 gallons of water at home each day. Fresh water from your municipal supplier or a private well comes into your home through pipes called water lines. Flushing toilets and taking baths and showers account for the majority of that use. Water lines also bring potable water to sinks, water heaters, and hose faucets. It’s easy to understand why a water line issue can cause major problems.

If you think you might have a water line problem, contact a reliable plumbing service right away. A water main that’s malfunctioning can affect all of the water coming into your home, causing significant disruptions. Keep reading to find out what you need to know about water line repair in Arlington, TX.

How Do You Know If You Need Water Line Repairs?

The primary pipe that brings water into the home is called the main water line. This water line is usually located underground and connects to a municipal water source. A water line repair might be needed because of damage to the pipe due to freezing and thawing, high water pressure, mineral build-up, overgrown tree roots, corrosion or age.

If you stay aware of signs of water line leaks or clogs, you can help to avert a water main break, which can be a costly major repair. How do you know if you need main water line repair in Arlington, TX? These are some signs to look out for:

  • Water pressure drops: If you notice a drop in water pressure, a water line could be clogged. There are several reasons that water pressure could go down, but water line clogs are a common cause. Weak water pressure in the shower is noticed most often, but sinks might also run slowly or you might notice that the clothes washer takes much longer than usual to fill.

 

  • Water bills go up: Leaks from water lines can cost you a lot of money in wasted water that never even makes it into your home. Make sure to keep an eye on your water bill for any unusual or unexplainable increases in water usage. In the long run, a water line repair can be way less expensive.

 

  • Cracks appear in the foundation: A leaking water main can damage the concrete foundation of a home. Water pipes are under pressure and water flowing outside of the pipe can cause erosion of building materials.

 

  • Strange sounds emit from drains: If you hear an atypical gurgling sound from drains, there could be a water line problem. Rumbling or hissing sounds where the water line enters your house is another warning sign that there’s a problem.

 

  • Puddles collect outdoors: A leaking water supply line could create puddles in your yard, even on days when there’s been no rain. Alternately, you might notice that the grass is more green above the water line if that line has leaks. Also, look out for unexplained damp spots on the sidewalk above where the water line runs.

 

  • Water looks discolored: Corrosion of the pipe or the entrance of soil into it can cause water discoloration. The water could be reddish brown from rust or look muddy if dirt is getting into the pipes. A good indication that a water line repair is needed.

 

  • Water spots or mildew on walls or ceilings. An obvious sign of a water pipe leak is water spots in the home. They can appear on the walls or ceilings. Water under sinks or on the floor could also be from water line leaks. Make sure to call a water line repair professional as soon as possible.

According to the EPA, as many as 10% of all homes have undetected water line leaks. The way to determine if you have a hidden water line leak is to turn off all of the water-using appliances in your home and look at your water meter. If it shows that water is being used even when everything is shut off, there is a concealed water line leak somewhere. Contact a plumber to inspect your water supply system.

What to Do

If you think you have a leak or break in your main water line, you should contact your water company right away to alert them to the problem; some companies will work with you to help manage payments if you’ve had an unexpected spike in your water bill.

Shut off the main water line as soon as possible and call a plumber. If you don’t know how to shut off the water to your home or business, our plumbers or your utility company can do that for you. Stop using appliances or drinking tap water if the water is discolored until you can verify that it’s safe to use.

What to Expect

Hidden leaks can be hard for the non-plumber to find. Once on-site, a water line repair plumber will pinpoint the precise location of the leak, using professional video and acoustic inspection tools if needed. Once a leak is found, they’ll typically dig a trench to access the water line. Water lines are usually located about 1 to 3 feet below the ground, or just below the freeze line in your area.

If the main water line needs to get dug up, your local utility service will mark the yard for safety, with blue lines to show where the potable lines are, red for electrical lines, green for sewer lines, and orange for