Water Line Repair Tips And Information For Homeowners
Water line problems are very serious plumbing issues that homeowners will frequently be ill-equipped to be able to handle. Whether a homeowner has only recently purchased their home or has lived in it for years, there is a strong chance that they may not be prepared for a water line problem until they go through it for the first time.
Understand The Range Of Threats That Your Water Line Will Face
While the water line that supplies your home will be buried deep below the ground, you should understand that it will still be at risk of suffering a range of damages. One of the most common is simply the water line becoming obstructed due to a root intruding into the pipe. Additionally, it can be possible for the water line to suffer damage if the soil underneath it erodes away and leaves this line without enough support.
Review The Local Rules Concerning Water Line Repairs And Your Insurance Coverage
It is important to appreciate that the responsibility to pay for the repairs to the water line will likely belong to the homeowner. Unfortunately, homeowners will often assume that these repairs will be the responsibility of the local government or the utility provider. Once you have confirmed that arranging for the repairs to the utility line will be your responsibility, the next step should be to check with your insurance carrier. In many instances, homeowners will have some protection for repairs to their water lines. However, this is not a feature that is included with every homeowners insurance policy, but it can be extremely valuable protection for those that enjoy this coverage.
Consider Whether There Are Mitigation Steps That Can Avoid Water Line Damages In The Future
A homeowner may be able to help reduce the risk of their property encountering severe water line damage. For example, making sure to park vehicles away from the water line can help to avoid damage that is the result of compression occurring to the soil around the water line. Another step that can be used to help protect a home's water line is to cut down any plants that have root systems that are large enough to intrude into the water line. This may be a fairly drastic solution as it can require modifying the home's landscaping design, but it can avoid extremely expensive and disruptive damages to your home's water lines. Lastly, it is possible to install root guards around the water line, which can help to stop plants with smaller root systems from being able to intrude into the water line system.
Contact a water lines repair contractor to learn more.