Seeking tips to fix supply line leak at the valve near the property line.


  #1  
Old 09-23-00, 09:14 AM
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The city has been out, looked at their side, and maintain that the soggy ground near my back fence is due to a leaking pipe between my house and their valve. Guess I'll be doin' some digging, any tips would help. My experience level with this is very low to none.
 
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Old 09-23-00, 09:28 AM
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You need to dig up the leak to see where it is and what type of supply line (galvanized, copper or white plastic pvc?)runs from the meter to your house.
Galvanized is fixed with new pipe, teflon tape or pipe dope, and two pipe wrenches.
Copper has to be cut with a hacksaw or tubing cutter, and the fittings have to be soldered with lead-free solder.
PVC is by far the easiest to fix. Just cut it with a hacksaw, clean the pipe ends, prime and glue couplings with pvc primer and pvc glue.
I'm not a plumber, but I will try to help, or one of the pro plumbers in here will.
Good Luck!
Edit: You should have a cutoff valve on your side of the meter, but if you don't, you can cut the meter off with a crescent wrench on the flat brass head on the meter cutoff valve. When the little triangle on the meter stops turning, it's off. Install a cutoff valve, if you don't have one, while you're repairing the line.

[This message has been edited by OldGuy (edited September 23, 2000).]
 
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Old 09-23-00, 03:58 PM
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OldGuy pretty well has it covered, but If its copper, I would suggest not using solder in a buried line, I recommend using either flare fittings, or brazing the line with silphos.
If its galvanized, evaluate the condition of the pipe. If its rusting out you may want to consider replacing the entire line as it will probably continue to give you trouble.
If its PVC be sure to get schedule 40, which has a thicker wall than some of the stuff on the market.
 
 

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