What’s Involved in Replacing a Water Main Line?

by Sarkinen Plumbing | Oct 30, 2018

So what is a main line anyway?

There are two main lines in your home. The first is the main sewer line, and it’s the route through which all water in your home ultimately leads out. We’re not considering that one, but rather your main water line, which is the channel that brings water into your home for running in the heater, shower, sinks, and hoses. Nothing quite affects your home like when there’s a problem with this large pipe; if it gets blocked then you don’t get to shower, cook or wash your hands. Replacement is not something you want to do if you can prevent it.

How do I know there’s a problem with my main water line?

In a typical city or suburb, your main water line runs under your front yard and connects to the city’s water supply coming in from the street. If this pipe cracks, the fluid rushing through can seep up and out. Sometimes you might not physically see a problem, but your water bill is higher than normal, especially if you haven’t been using it any more than usual. A spot of denser, more luxurious grass growth could indicate that that spot is getting more water than it out to receive is also a sign of a leak.

If you start to notice soggy, soft patches in the ground, especially when there hasn’t been any recent rain, then the pipe probably burst. A leak that’s large and powerful enough you can even see spouts of muddy water bubbling up out of the ground. If left unchecked, the problem can make its way into your home, which leads to inconveniences or even mold.

Should you see a gush of water, call the utility company right away. They can come to turn off the line that’s flowing into your property. In the meantime, you can stop wan water from coming into your home by turning off the building’s supply. All you need is a standard meter key, which is available at most hardware stores, to close it off on your house’s end. Do not try to dig out the pipe on your own, as you might do even more damage.

What can I do for my main water line?

Repairing your own water line is out of the question for anyone except for experienced plumbers. With a normal project, you might try to fix something that’s damaged on your own and then call a professional if you can’t fix it. With a main water line, the situation is very urgent, as it affects the quality of your life, and wasted water can cost you lots of money. If your main line bursts, you need a professional to fix it immediately.

How do main water line problems get fixed?

Believe it or not, not every crack requires a full replacement, but it’s always good to prepare for the worst case scenario. Since the main line runs under the length of your front yard, it’s pretty easy to envision an enormous hole tearing through the length of your lawn. While that is one method of accessing a water main. there are many other options available. If you haven’t heard of trenchless replacement, it is what it sounds like. Using a much smaller hole the plumbers can pull out the existing line and replace it with a new one.

What can I do to stop the problem from happening again?

Sometimes old pipes simply burst due to wear and stress over years of service. If that’s the case with yours, then you might not have anything else to do. There are many other causes of pipes breaking. If you know the cause for sure then you can take steps to fix them before they become an issue again:

• Invasive root systems: Some plants have roots that spread out over a very wide range. If they detect water in the ground, they grow in that direction. A root system can force its way into a pipe and cause it to burst. If there’s root damage to your old main line, remove any problem bushes or trees.
• Soil pH: The chemical composition of the dirt in your lawn can make it more reactive to the metal used to make your pipes. Over time this simply eats its way through the outside. If the soil tests too far out of scale, you can use garden treatments to raise or lower it as needed.

Whom do I call to replace my water main line?

Sarkinen Plumbing is your first call to make when a water main line bursts. We’re licensed in both Oregon and Washington and serve Portland and Vancouver. We have people on call whenever you need and can be there when you need us. We’ve been in business for years and have extensive training in all plumbing projects.

Here at Sarkinen, we’re experts at trenchless replacements to keep your property looking fresher and more put together. We’ve seen enough lines burst to understand how it can just turn your life completely upside down. Our expert team treats your breakage as if it were their own yard. We show up on time for appointments and communicate clearly so that you understand every step of the process.

Once is more than enough times to have to experience a burst main water line. The parts that we use during the job are very durable and resilient. Besides traditional metal, we’re qualified to use polypropylene (PP) lines. They leak less overall, which saves you money in the long run. Every member of our team stands behind our work. Problems with your plumbing are too important to handle yourself or to turn to an unknown contractor. Use the contact form on this site or give us a call any time that an issue comes up. A main water line replacement project is one of the most important plumbing jobs that there is. Trust Sarkinen Plumbing and HVAC every time.