Leaving the front door for a walk in your yard first thing in the morning and finding it to be flooded is disappointing and will set you back, if suddenly or gradually, underground water lines break.

Why Do Water Lines Break?

There are multiple reasons why water lines might break, and we want to help. We cover the common causes of leaks and breaks in pipes and give helpful recommendations when they happen.

Corrosion

  • Underground piping is subject to a variety of soil conditions, including corrosion. When pipes corrode from the outside, they often break and leak water on your lawn or inside your own house. All plumbing materials have a lifespan-you need to maintain them regularly with replacement when needed for optimum performance. If you notice excessive rusting or corrosion in an external pipe before it breaks, you may be able to avoid future leaks! Regular inspection can help prevent broken pipes by catching minor problems early on; watch out for signs of leaking like puddles under the pipe:
  • Lower water pressure
  • Higher water bills
  • Pooled water in the yard
  • Dirt in the waterline
  • Discolored water

Freezing

Freezing weather is one factor for your water line to break. When the temperature fluctuates, pipes swell and shrink, leading to cracks that compromise them. You can’t avoid this with underground pipes 100%, but you can wrap insulation around exposed areas of the pipe, so they don’t crack or burst during a freeze.

Soil Conditions

Besides creating a conductor, the soil condition underneath your pipes can affect how well they hold up. Pressure and movement and tree roots can weaken or even leak underground pipes over time. With shifting ground, pressure on these types of pipes may increase or decrease, which will cause them to break sooner than anticipated.

Root tendrils are drawn to pipes with moisture, entering cracks and joints. As they grow more prominent, the pipes put more pressure on them; this can also happen in your sewer line.

Clogs

Our faucets don’t always cause clogged water lines. If corrosion or rust builds up over time, the pressure in your pipes will increase and eventually cause cracks if there is not enough space for new water to pass through. Tree roots can also create clogs in your line that are difficult to get rid of!

Human Fault

Pipes that weren’t installed properly in the first place are likely to leak sooner. Construction or landscaping near your pipes can also cause pressure changes and vibrations, which wear them down over time.

Water Line Break Inside the House

Water lines can break inside or beneath your home for many previously mentioned reasons. Underground leaks and slab leaks can seep through a home’s foundation and pose health risks and extensive damages over time if left unchecked. An interior break, when not fixed immediately, may cause significant damage. If you encounter dampness on your basement floor, contact plumbing experts to have it checked right away.

The root reason for a broken water line is of no significance. What matters more is how you will fix it once it happens. We at Autry Plumbing have the experience required for various plumbing repairs.

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