A busted water main will give you an abundance of water in all the wrong places: on the lawn, in the walls, flooding the basement. To keep water where you want it, flowing from your taps, you need a water main in working order.
Main line installation and repair is always a job for a professional plumber, but Portland homeowners can help themselves by knowing the signs of a water main leak.
What Is a Water Main?
A water main supplies clean water to your Oregon home. The main connects either to a public water source or your well. Municipal water usually flows under the street to a pipe that connects to your home. From there, the water moves through the various pipes and taps in your house.
A broken water main will quickly flood your home or damage your yard. If the main breaks, you’ll need to turn off the water supply. The main shutoff might be in your home or it could be near the water meter.
Read more about how to find and turn off the water here.
Old Plumbing Requires Regular Maintenance
Call us to inspect and service your water main regularly, especially if your plumbing is old. We can detect leaks or other problems.
Age and corrosion are the most common reasons for a water main to fail. Digging can also cause damage. In Oregon and Washington, contact the utility notification center before you dig by calling 811. They will mark the location of underground utilities for free.
Replacing a water main is a big project, but in some cases, it’s necessary to prevent flooding and damage to your home. Other times, a simple maintenance plan is enough.
Keep an Eye on Your Water Bill
Some problems with a main are harder to spot than others. Slow leaks may not be immediately apparent. Pipes are usually out of sight, either buried or inside walls or floors.
If you suspect a leak, take a look at your water bill. A higher-than-usual bill is often the first clue that there’s a problem somewhere in the plumbing. This method isn’t foolproof, though. A small leak may continue for months or years unnoticed.
When a leak goes on for a long time, the chances are good that your home will have water damage. Repairing walls and flooring could be more expensive than replacing or repairing the faulty pipe.
Learn how to find a hidden water leak here.
Watch for Standing Water in Your Yard
A large leak in the water main will cause water to pool on the ground surface You may see puddles, or you may notice the ground is soggy. Call us asap if you suspect a leak.
Municipalities take care of water mains under the street, but it’s the homeowner’s responsibility to repair pipes on their property.
Meticulous Plumbing provides water main line installation and repair. Contact us for help with your Portland-area plumbing problems.
