Your water service is your home’s lifeline that brings water into your home from the water department’s water mains. If you develop a leak in this critical pipe, you can be using a tremendous amount of water or be without water. In some cases you may notice a wet spot in your yard that never goes away. Other indications may be a high water bill or a notice from the water district.
In homes built prior to 1975, the most common water piping material in this area was galvanized pipe. This pipe had a thin protective coating to prevent rusting, unfortunately this coating wears off ant the steel under the coating starts rusting. Industry trade journals tell us that galvanized water pipes had a life expectancy of 40-50 years. So, it is rare to find a leaking galvanized water pipe in the ground that can still be repaired, most often it must be replaced.
The other most common causes for water service piping to fail (other than rust) are soil movement and tree roots. Between 1975 and about 2000, we find the most common materials used for water service piping to be either copper or PVC. While both of these are good materials and can usually be repaired, they are more sensitive to soil movement and tree roots than galvanized piping.
Around 2000, PEX became the most common material used for water piping in this area. PEX is a flexible plastic piping that can be forgiving to most normal soil movement and to tree roots.
PEX is the material we currently use when we replace a water service. In most all cases, we use directional boring to drill the pipe in from the water meter to the house.
If you have any concerns about your water service leaking call Kennedy Plumbing. Our licensed Journeyman Plumbers can repair or replace your water service.
