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6 Common Causes Of Water Line Damages | San Antonio, TX

6 Common Causes Of Water Line Damages | San Antonio, TX

 

As a homeowner, it is your responsibility to make sure that everything in your house is operating smoothly. One of the most important aspects of a house is its plumbing system — and more particularly, the water lines. They provide a constant supply of water to your home, and if they ever get damaged, the results can be devastating.

Burst pipes are not uncommon and often occur in the plumbing systems of San Antonio, TX. If your water lines are damaged, you should consult water line repair in San Antonio, TX. Let’s look at the factors that can damage your water line:

FACTORS THAT CAN DAMAGE A WATER LINE:

POOR INSTALLATION OF PIPELINES:

If the contractor who installed your water lines was incompetent or didn’t pay enough attention to his work, your waterlines can fail prematurely. Or perhaps if substandard materials were used in the installation process, the lifespan of your water lines will be negatively affected. Either way, if water lines of your house expire well before the estimated time, you will have to go for a water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

FREEZING AND THAWING:

In San Antonio, TX, the temperature can drop down to near zero degrees in winters. The result of this extremely low temperature is frost damage to water pipelines. If your water pipelines are not more than four feet deep, frost will easily be able to cause a leakage in the pipeline. Trenchless water line repair in San Antonio, TX is often the solution in such cases.

SHIFTING SOIL UNDER THE SURFACE

All of us assume that the ground will remain more or less static when underground water pipelines are being installed. But the truth is underground conditions can change over time because of a variety of different factors. Your underground pipelines can get damaged by the moving tectonic plates, or sometimes the roots of trees move into areas where they were not expected, causing damage to water lines.

CHANGING HYDRAULIC DYNAMICS

A water line that has been hit with sudden, high water pressure even for a short period of time is likely to receive damage. Sometimes, the gradual replacement of parts of the plumbing system like pressure gauges, well pumps and cutoff switches are unsuited to the existing plumbing infrastructure, and any pressure change in the water supply damages them. Therefore it is important to only get professional water line repair in San Antonio, TX, otherwise, you will need even more repairs down the road.

DAMAGE FROM RODENTS AND PESTS

Did you know pesky rodents and critters can damage a waterline just as much as any physical injury or cold temperature? Depending on how the plumbing of a house is set up, rats, moles, gophers and beavers can harm water lines. Regardless of whether your pipelines are above-ground or underground, they are vulnerable to damage by rodents and pests and if this occurs, you will have to get a water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

WEAR AND TEAR:

All materials and components known to man succumb to natural elements down the road, no matter what grade quality they have. Plumbing materials like PVC, CPVC and copper all have an expiration date. Under favorable conditions, your pipelines can last longer without any serious degradation, but after a certain point in time, all pipelines require water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR PIPELINES ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DAMAGE:

SUDDEN TEMPERATURE CHANGES CAN DAMAGE WATER LINES

Water pipelines are exposed to damage and leakages if there are extreme temperature swings. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, just a 10-degree change in temperature can increase the stress on water mains and pipelines, which increases the chances of damage.

MATURE TREES NEAR YOUR WATER LINES CAN ALSO CAUSE DAMAGES

Invasive tree roots oftentimes grow along waterlines and end up rupturing them. Tree roots are strong enough to break through even tougher substances. If tree roots get into pipes, they can also cause blockages that lead to other serious problems and will require you to call for water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

OLD PIPELINES ARE VULNERABLE TO LEAKAGES

A majority of our nation’s water lines were installed in the 90s, and most of them are in serious need of replacement or repair. According to a report from the National Association of Water Companies, nearly half of plumbing systems in the U.S. are in poor shape. Knowing the age of your plumbing pipes will help you to assess your need for water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

DO YOU HAVE CLAY SOIL?

Poor soil conditions also damage water pipelines. High chloride content or low soil resistivity can cause corrosion of pipes, which leads to leakages and contamination. Clay soils are among the most corrosive soils according to a leading corrosion protection company, NACE International. Corrosive soil can start affecting pipes almost immediately, thus the lifespan of pipelines decreases significantly. This means that after some point, the corrosive soil would have done enough damage to cause water line leakages, and you will need to go for a water line repair in San Antonio, TX.

THE WARNING SIGNS OF PLUMBING DAMAGES

Sometimes, it is the small things that homeowners overlook, that later arise as major problems. Something as common as cooking food in the kitchen can become problematic: an accumulation of grease and food disposals over time can block sewerage and drain lines. A stammering faucet is an indication that a water line may be leaking. Or, slow drainage can signal that the sewerage line has been clogged. All these signs point towards a sudden and possibly costly water line repair in San Antonio, TX. Detecting these signs before they become worse can save you from potential problems and expenses.

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