Well, my damn water main busted yesterday.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Well, my damn water main busted yesterday.

Posted: 1/22/2006 9:30:10 PM EDT

Tried to use the water faucet and only got a trickle. Looked out in the front yard and saw a whole bunch of water coming out of a crack in my driveway. I got the water turned off at the meter (thank God I'd bought those small Channellocks).

Now it looks like I'm going to have to tear up my driveway to fix the leak Why the hell do they do that?? What kind of moron installs a water main that way?? I wish I knew so I could burn his frickin' house down.

Posted: 1/22/2006 9:41:56 PM EDT

[#1]

Probably the same guy that put the sewer line (where I used to live) UNDER THE DRIVEWAY. Wouldn't have been so bad if he had used standard sewer pipe like everyone else did. Instead, he used some (at the time) experimental stuff that ended up having problems.

NMSight

Posted: 1/22/2006 10:05:26 PM EDT

[#2]

A friend of mine owns a house on a short block. The houses on each side of his house is on a corner lot. This past summer the city was doing some work and accidentally cut his water line. It turns out his water line doesn't go from his house straight out to the street, it goes through the nieghbor's yard to a side street. Apparently his house was originally the only one on a large lot, which was subdivided into the current configuration. The waterline went to the closest watermain available at the time. Since the water line route is not currently legal, the city won't fix the break, they re-routed the waterline straight out to the street in front of his house. All fine until he gets the bill. I think it was for $14,000.

Posted: 1/22/2006 10:26:02 PM EDT

[#3]

Sweet God. I surely hope his homeowner's insurance took care of at least some of that.

Posted: 1/23/2006 6:59:28 AM EDT

[#4]

The same thing happened to a friend of mine several weeks back. The idiots never bothered to turn off the water, so they have a gigantic water bill, and they're fighting the city about paying it.

I think they ended up having their entire driveway repaved because of it.

Posted: 1/23/2006 11:12:32 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
The same thing happened to a friend of mine several weeks back. The idiots never bothered to turn off the water, so they have a gigantic water bill, and they're fighting the city about paying it.

I think they ended up having their entire driveway repaved because of it.

Do you happen to know how much it ended up costing them?

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:29:07 PM EDT

[#6]

I called and asked, and he said $2300 to redo the driveway, and $250 for the plumber. But he also said he had them virtually re-do his entire driveway since it was cracked elsewhere too.

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:32:55 PM EDT

[#7]

dig up the pipe on each side of the driveway and then drive or waterjet a pipe beside the old pipe. There is no need to tear out the drive way.

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:34:30 PM EDT

[#8]

You could also rent a boring machine.
Or contact an irrigation company to do it for you. They get under driveways all the time.

Posted: 1/23/2006 1:39:29 PM EDT

[#9]

Had another idea, if you know where your water stubs into the house bring the water line all the way around the house. That would keep you from going under the driveway. In that case it would probably be best to upsize the water line.

Posted: 1/23/2006 2:15:30 PM EDT

[#10]

Well, I don't really know where the pipe runs. The meter's right next to the end of the driveway, and I am sure the pipe runs under the driveway for most of its length. I don't think it's as simple as just crossing underneath the driveway and coming out the other side.

Posted: 1/23/2006 2:18:16 PM EDT

[#11]

Track down the leak and start digging. Good luck!

Posted: 1/23/2006 9:22:33 PM EDT

[#12]

Well all things considered, a water main UNDER the driveway isn't likely to break if the driveway is built right.

I happened to find out that one of the guys that owned my place before me replaced the water main and cut in some side lines to add sprinklers. SOB left it only about 6" deep, and used presson fittings on the ABS pipe. well they weren't exactly press on but he never glued some of them. I guess he was test fitting and measuring and couldn't get them apart.

Guess how I found out it was only 6" deep?

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:26:59 AM EDT

[#13]

Update? Are you still without water?

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:35:08 AM EDT

[#14]

Yes, still no water. I have a guy coming out this afternoon to tear up the driveway with a backhoe. Once I pinpoint the leak, I will get a plumber out to fix it. I could probably do it myself, but I'd rather have it done 100% correct so I don't have to tear out the driveway again.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:36:06 AM EDT

[#15]

Your water broke and you are posting about it?!?! Get to a hospitol! Post pics of the new baby when you get a chance.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:39:32 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Yes, still no water. I have a guy coming out this afternoon to tear up the driveway with a backhoe. Once I pinpoint the leak, I will get a plumber out to fix it. I could probably do it myself, but I'd rather have it done 100% correct so I don't have to tear out the driveway again.

THERE IS NO NEED TO TEAR UP YOUR DRIVEWAY!!!!!!! CALL A PLUMBER FOR A SECOND OPINION IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:43:50 AM EDT

[#17]

I had the samething happen at my mom's house in Los Angeles. The pipe from the street to the house burst. We had water all over the place, but fortunately a neighbor saw this problem and called the L.A. Dept of Water & Power and a crew came out and turned the water off ASAP. The break was in the middle of the driveway, we called a plumber and he called a concrete sawing guy and to saw and remove the part of the concrete drive way that was over the pipe. The sawing job was a $1,100 bill. The plumber's bill was $400.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:47:59 AM EDT

[#18]

The original plumbers may have even put the line in a sleeve. Do yourself a favor and get a good plumber out there before you tear up your drive way needlessly.

Just for the record I am a former plumber and a former irrigator. We used to go under sidewalks and driveways all the time. It is'nt even that difficult. Find where the pipe goes under the driveway and where it comes out the other side. (You might get lucky and it might even be sleeved) cut it off on both sides and like I said before waterjet or use a boring machine to put in a new pipe. then reconnect the ends you cut off. Simple and won't damage your driveaway.

Well good luck regardless.

P.S. Depending on your soil and how wide your driveway is you might even be able to drive a pipe through.

Posted: 1/24/2006 8:51:41 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Update? Are you still ~~without water~~out digging?

Fixed it for ya

.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:01:33 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
The same thing happened to a friend of mine several weeks back. The idiots never bothered to turn off the water, so they have a gigantic water bill, and they're fighting the city about paying it.

Anything past the meter is the home owner's responsibility. If he has a broken pipe on his side of the meter, that's his water he's wasting. He has to pay for it. At least that's how it is here (and how it should be). The utility company isn't responsible for maintaining privately-owned water lines.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:05:26 AM EDT

[#21]

Any other plumbers or irrigators out there that can back me up and help this guy out?

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:07:51 AM EDT

[#22]

One other thing, depending on soil and terrain the leak may not even be under the driveway. Water follows the path of least resistance. Sometimes the water surfaces several feet from the actual broken pipe.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:09:01 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Any other plumbers or irrigators out there that can back me up and help this guy out?

You're right on the money. let him dig it up if he wants.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:19:49 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:
Any other plumbers or irrigators out there that can back me up and help this guy out?

Air compresser and a missle would be better for the driveway shot, boring machine is a good choice also.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:21:47 AM EDT

[#25]

OK, here is what the layout looks like.

http://img42.imagevenue.com/loc91/th_d311a_pipe.jpg

The driveway is already cracked at that location, and I think I may have to replace it eventually anyway.

I spoke to a plumber and he will be out this evening to take a look at it.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:24:59 AM EDT

[#26]

Any idea how long it was leaking ? If it was a long time, alot of the dirt under your driveway might have got displaced. If so be careful about driving on it.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:26:11 AM EDT

[#27]

Well if that is the way the pipe runs........you're screwed.

I can't recall any plumber ever stubbing into the house through the garage though.

Do you have access to the houses blueprints? So you can determine where the water stubs in?

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:30:22 AM EDT

[#28]

I think it's been leaking slowly for a few months. I figured it would show itself by coming up through the yard eventually, making it easier to locate. I can't imagine the pipe goes all the way up the driveway either, I'd figure it has to come back out from under it at some point.

There is a PVC cap sticking up in my flower bed, about five feet left of the driveway. I don't know what it is, I always assumed it was a sewer line access point.

BTW, thanks for all your suggestions.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:34:31 AM EDT

[#29]

Is there a garage at the end of the driveway? If so is there more house to the right of the garage when you look from the watermeter?

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:38:03 AM EDT

[#30]

The driveway goes straight into the garage, and the only thing to the right of the garage is the outer wall.

In other words, the garage sits at the right end of the house, as viewed from the street.

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:41:04 AM EDT

[#31]

Where is the kitchen and or water heater? Front side or back of house?

Posted: 1/24/2006 9:51:00 AM EDT

[#32]

Kitchen is straight up from the water meter, maybe 40 feet away. Water heater is upstairs at the leftmost end of the house.

Posted: 1/24/2006 10:02:50 AM EDT

[#33]

Does the meter point right like your drawing indicates or does it poit towards the house?

Posted: 1/24/2006 10:09:06 AM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:
I think it's been leaking slowly for a few months. I figured it would show itself by coming up through the yard eventually, making it easier to locate. I can't imagine the pipe goes all the way up the driveway either, I'd figure it has to come back out from under it at some point.

There is a PVC cap sticking up in my flower bed, about five feet left of the driveway. I don't know what it is, I always assumed it was a sewer line access point.

BTW, thanks for all your suggestions.

That is the clean out point for the sewer main.

Most of the time, the water main will run next to the sewer, and the junction will be where the first water faucet on the house is.

I.e., if you have a water faucet next to that sewer main, chances are, that is where the water main runs to.

Posted: 1/24/2006 10:16:04 AM EDT

[#35]

Posted: 1/24/2006 10:17:55 AM EDT

[#36]

The water meter does point toward the driveway. The cutoff valve is on the driveway side of the box, so I assume the water runs from left to right.

Posted: 1/24/2006 10:43:26 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
The water meter does point toward the driveway. The cutoff valve is on the driveway side of the box, so I assume the water runs from left to right.

The cutoff valve should be on the incoming side of the box.

Posted: 1/24/2006 11:16:00 AM EDT

[#38]

I called Mr. Driveway Tearer-Upper and told him to hold off till tomorrow.

The plumber's coming out this evening. With any luck he will find a way to do it that doesn't require drastic measures.

Posted: 1/24/2006 4:59:02 PM EDT

[#39]

Update: the plumber came out. He didn't know why the water was leaking out of the driveway, since he figured the pipe probably ran straight up through the yard to the house. He suggested I start digging and find the pipe.

If that doesn't work, I'm going to get a locator out there to find out where exactly the hell it is.

Posted: 1/24/2006 5:11:53 PM EDT

[#40]

Well don't start digging around until you know where all your power lines are at. That could end in a bad way...

Posted: 1/24/2006 5:21:15 PM EDT

[#41]

Quoted:
Update: the plumber came out. He didn't know why the water was leaking out of the driveway, since he figured the pipe probably ran straight up through the yard to the house. He suggested I start digging and find the pipe.

If that doesn't work, I'm going to get a locator out there to find out where exactly the hell it is.

I dont remember if water lines have a tracer on them or not. Is so you can use a metal coat hanger
bent at a 90 and it will shift when you cross it. Then again it might be your gas or anything else witha tracer on it.

Posted: 1/25/2006 12:31:49 PM EDT

[#42]

OK, I got out there this morning and started digging. I found that the line comes out of the meter, makes a 180 degree turn, and goes back under the driveway.

The plumber says he can tunnel under there to get to it, without tearing up the pavement. I suppose we'll see.

Posted: 1/25/2006 1:33:00 PM EDT

[#43]

I'm sorry you are having all this trouble. Good luck keep us informed.

Posted: 1/27/2006 9:14:57 AM EDT

[#44]

Final update.

Plumber showed up last night and got it fixed.

He got a good look at where the pipe was going and said, "Screw it, we're running a new line."

We dug a new trench and laid the pipe, and the water was back on in about 3 hours.

Here's the updated diagram.

http://img140.imagevenue.com/loc161/th_6466f_pipe2.jpg

Final cost: $375

Thanks again to texastactical and everyone else. You talked me out of digging up the driveway, and I am very glad that wasn't necessary.

Posted: 1/27/2006 11:15:49 AM EDT

[#45]

I'm so glad that it worked out ok for you. The only thing I can figure as to why the water line runs that way, is maybe there was an open ditch that the original plumbers took advantage of. Or maybe there was something there they had to go around. Otherwise it makes no sense whatsoever.

Sounds like the price was very fair

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Well, my damn water main busted yesterday.

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