If you have a leak in your water lines, plumbers can repair or replace it.  A bursting pipe can create a huge challenge for homeowners since a leak can be a simple drip or could flood your entire yard.  It is important to look for the signs of a leak so that you can have the repair completed before it creates a major issue.  Keep in mind that galvanized pipes only have a fifty-year shelf life, so if you have an older home the likelihood of this repair being necessary is fairly high. The chance of your water lines springing a leak or breaking is higher than you may think.  In fact, the National Association of Water Companies reported that 650 water mains break on a daily basis and these results in 7 billion gallons of water wasted – a significant amount when you consider that areas of the country, and the world, regularly experience droughts.  For the sake of your home, business, and the environment watch for signs of an issue before this happens. You can have plumbers inspect your pipes from time to time or look for these signs:

• Age.  If your pipes are approaching the 50-year mark, they are reaching the maximum of their lifecycle and should be replaced.
• Trees.  When mature trees are near your water lines, the roots may interfere with the pipes and even break them in their search for water.  Find out where your pipes are and relocate trees that are too close to these critical areas.
• Stammering faucet.  If your faucet hesitates and stammers as you are washing your hands, this could be a sign of a leak somewhere.
• Clay soil.  If you have clay soil, the soil itself can corrode the pipes and cause them to leak or break later on.  You may not notice anything right away but if you know that you have clay soil, your pipes will probably not last as long as they would otherwise.
• Temperature swings.  If the outside temperature changes drastically it can lead to pipes bursting.  This is fairly common when early winter storms hit, and the ground, your pipes, and the environment is not ready for the temperature shift.
• Increase in your water bill.  If all of a sudden, your water bill is higher than normal – it could be a sign of a leak somewhere.  Don’t ignore a spike in the price.  Instead, hire plumbers to come and inspect your pipes to ensure that you aren’t wasting water without knowing it.  If you aren’t sure if the spike was caused by a leak, you can compare your past several bills and look at the pricing to determine if the rates went up or your consumption went up.

As a professional plumber, we understand that it is more cost-effective to repair or replace your pipes before the burst.  If you allow them to go for too long, the damage to the rest of your property may be significant in scope and cost.  To learn more or to schedule an inspection, give us a call.