Leak Detection and Repair
IRC Plumbing specializes in Leak Detection and repair. After working in the plumbing field for generations there are signs we know to look for and most of the time we fix leaks pretty quickly and efficiently. Take this one for example.
Repairing the Leaks
Easy as that!!! 🤷♂️ Nothing to panic about. No chipping up the floor and you should just have some sheetrock to patch when the plumber is done. Now the compromised water line is dead and will never bother you again. Just a couple hours of labor, a little bit of material, and a whole lot of experience make it a simple fix.
Usually, water lines are run in the attic and you’ll have just two little holes in the wall to patch. Each house is a little different depending on the meter location and the layout. This one was just easier to run straight through the wet wall.
What to remember!
The main thing to remember is once you get the first leak you need to start thinking about getting a plan together for the rest of the house. We’ve been plumbing since we were kids and have learned and noticed the change in the quality of the copper when it started coming from China.
There are some things to think about if this has happened to you. Remember, all of the copper in your house is from the same bundle as the line that broke and it’s been in the same exact environmental conditions under your slab as the leaking piece. It’s all in the same soil with no protection around the lines. It has been sitting in the soil with all the minerals and salts eating at it from the outside for 20 plus years. On top of all that, over 95% of all leaks are on city/county water and not on well water.
The same water running through all the lines in the house and that water has got a lot of chemicals in it, meaning it’s getting worn down from the inside too from the harsh water flowing through it daily. Now add on top of all that an inferior product from China and its the perfect storm as they say.
This being said, all your lines are going to be in the same exact shape or a little bit behind your main service. We always advise you to start getting a plan together to get rid of the pipe once you get your first leak. There’s no telling when the next leak will appear but it’s going to at some point.
If you’re going out of town shut your water off at the house. Nothing worse than going to a house call with someone on vacation and their neighbor noticed water coming down the driveway. Sending pictures to a homeowner of their house flooded is heartbreaking. Be safe and turn your water off, please. You just turn that little yellow handle in the picture.
Lucien Rizio
