Your main water line is the pipe that directly connects your home to the public water supply. It carries water from the main water distribution in the street into your property. From the street, the line enters your home before splitting into a cold and a hot water line. These two lines are then split to supply your faucets, toilets, showers, and home appliances.
In addition to the pipes that make up the pipeline, the main water line features service valves and fittings. Common materials used in water line construction include copper, brass, PVC, galvanized iron, and steel. Because it is buried inside the ground, the main water line is constantly exposed to issues that can impact your home’s water supply.
Maintenance of the home’s water line is the responsibility of the homeowner, says Mark Brower Properties. Issues with the city’s main distribution piping – the pipe that runs from the street to the boundaries of your property – are the responsibility of the city. But problems in your home’s main water line are your sole responsibility to find and solve.
Given the role played by the water line in making your home livable, it is vital to know when there are issues with your main water line. Being able to efficiently detect, solve, and prevent problems in the water line ensures the safety and constancy of your home’s water supply. What are the common signs of a damaged or malfunctioning water line?
Signs of a damaged water line
If you are seeing any of the following signs in your home, it could be an indication of problems in your main water line. To fix the issues, you should call a professional plumber. A competent plumber will inspect your water line to verify the cause of the problems and find cost-effective ways to solve them before they escalate into a bigger cost.
Discolored water
Water discoloration is one of the first signs you see when your main water line is broken. That does not always mean a major change in the color of water entering your home; the change is often subtle and hard to detect. Water discoloration is caused by dirt finding its way into the pipeline. In addition to soil, harmful microorganisms may also enter the water supply. A broken water line can also introduce a strange taste/odor to your water.
Higher water bills
If your home’s water bill is increasing and this increase is not due to any significant changes in your home’s water usage, you should look for a leak in your main water line. The hike in your water spending is probably due to an underground leak in the water line. A professional plumber can help you check your plumbing to see if the leak is inside your home or the main water line.
Pools of water in the lawn
You may not see actual pools of water in the yard. A broken water line can cause sections of the lawn to be noticeably wetter, or the grass in one part of the lawn will be greener than in other areas. You may also find that after it rains, water will pool in places it never used to. That is because the soil in that area is already saturated with water from the leak.
Low water pressure
If there is a leak in your water lines, you may have low water pressure. An overall drop in water pressure for all the homes in your neighborhood means the issue is from the public water supply. But if the low water pressure issue is only present in your home, it is probably due to problems in your water line.
Pipe corrosion
Visible signs of corrosion in the water line can be due to aging, water quality issues, or other problems. Typically, these kinds of water line issues are not detected until there is an actual rupture in the pipeline. To detect and solve such problems before they become emergencies, it is essential to have your home’s plumbing professionally inspected once a year.
Structural water damage
Undetected leaks in the water line are a leading cause of foundation failure in homes. If water consistently leaks into the home’s structures due to a crack in the water line, it will eventually undermine the building’s structural integrity. One of the ways to know that this is happening is that you will start to see cracks in the concrete structures at the base of the building.
To conclude, a water line problem in your home is not something you should try to fix yourself. A damaged water line will subject your property to costly damage and endanger your family’s health. Always get a professional plumber’s help for all issues with your main water line.