What Tioga Plumbing & Electric Can Do For Your Water Line Repair Issues | Euless, TX

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Plumbing isn’t usually something people put a lot of thought into. In fact, most people don’t even think about plumbing problems until they occur. However, when they do occur, they can be quite a nuisance. In these situations, people might consider fixing the issue themselves, but in most cases, they will have to seek the help of plumbing professionals to rectify the situation and water line repair.

How to Address a Broken Water Line

Many people will want to first try to perform water line repair on their own, before consulting with professionals. If you decide to do this, make sure that you are able to do so safely before you attempt this on your own.

If you have an underground water line that is cracked or entirely broken, it can make for a very expensive and cumbersome project. However, it is something that needs to be fixed, because otherwise, you won’t be able to use the water in your home. If you want to undertake this project on your own, you may be able to do so. You can separate it into reasonable steps, making it so that you will be able to fully or partially repair the line by yourself.

Safety First!

Of course, if you decide to take on this project, you shouldn’t simply get a shovel and start digging. Water lines are fairly close to ground level, but this doesn’t mean that you should ignore safety concerns before you embark upon this project. In fact, you might not be able to do this entirely on your own, even if you don’t end up calling the plumbing professionals for water line repair purposes.

Before you start digging in your yard, you should make sure that you have your local utility location service mark the utility lines on your property. Don’t worry, you typically won’t have to pay for this service. The utility technician will use paint to mark up your yard. Typically, blue will indicate potable water lines, green will indicate sewer pipes, orange will indicate oil, gas, and steam, and blue will indicate the potable water lines to which you need to attend. In order to schedule this service, call 811.

You should also make sure that you communicate with the local permitting office so that you know everything you need to know about permits and zoning. You should look through the title documents for your home or the tax assessor session of your county website so that you know everything you need to know about any easements that might be partially located in your yard.

What You Need to Know About DIY Water Line Repair

In many cases, you will be able to engage in a water line repair project on your own. However, you should be aware that it will probably take one or two days to complete, given that you know what you are doing and nothing goes wrong. Typically, you’ll have to spend between $25 and $75 to complete this project.

What You’ll Need

In order to perform water line repair yourself, you will need the following items: a replacement water line service pipe, which will typically be about one inch in diameter; wood stakes; and string or twine. You also need appropriate equipment for the digging and other physical aspects of the job, including the following: a shovel, tarp, spade, hammer, adjustable screwdriver and wrench, shop vacuum, buckets, and ideally a dedicated shut off tool for the water and gas pipes.

The Water Line Repair Process

There are a few things that you need to do in order to complete this process.

Figure Out if You Have a Leak

The first thing that you need to do is make sure that you actually have a leak. There are a few common signs that this could be the case. If your municipal water bills are suddenly much higher than expected, this could be a sign. Also, if you see that your water meter indicator has been spinning even when the water is not turned on in the house, you may have a leak. If there are spots on your lawn that are swelling, recessed, mushy, or soft, this could be another sign. Additionally, low water pressure in the showerheads and faucets within your home could be an indicator of a water line issue in Euless, TX.

Figure Out Where the Leak Is

You may already know the general location of the leak, but you should figure out exactly where it is. You might be able to do this by running a sightline from your water meter to the area where the water is coming into your home.

Prepare for the Repair

Locate your home’s water shut-off valve, and turn it off. You’ll do this by turning it clockwise. It’s best to have a dedicated shut off tool for this purpose, but if you don’t have one, you can use an adjustable wrench. Now, it’s time to actually dig the trench around the area that you believe is the source of the leak. Most of the time, water service lines will be one to three feet below ground level. Now, you should drain water out of this area using a bucket and a shop vacuum that is set to wet mode.

Water Line Repair Time

Whatever material composes your current underground water line, whether it is copper, galvanized steel, PVC, or something else, you should replace this area with similar material. The line should still be about one inch in diameter, and no less than 3/4 inch.

Test Your Work

Turn the water on at the meter by turning the shut-off valve counterclockwise. Examine the location of your repair under pressure, verifying that it is secure. When you are satisfied with the repair, you can fill in the trench.

If you live in Euless, TX, and you are experiencing plumbing issues, such as a need for water line repair, please contact Tioga Plumbing & Electric to address your needs.