How to Recognize When Your Main Water Line Needs Repair
Signs of a leaking water main can range from obvious to subtle. Here are some indicators to watch for:
- Increased water bill: An unexplained spike in your monthly water bill is often one of the biggest indicators of an underground leak.
- Puddles or soggy areas on your property: Significant leaks in the water line can cause pooling in your yard or garden. If you notice unusually damp areas without an obvious cause, it’s time to contact a plumber.
- Potentially reduced water pressure: A sudden drop in water pressure throughout the home (rather than just one faucet) may signal a water main issue, though municipal factors could also be involved. If in doubt, it’s best to call in professionals.
While Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair offer both spot repairs and trenchless main line replacement, a full water line replacement is sometimes needed due to deterioration. We highly recommend installing a new main water line when this happens. Although it’s a significant job, our skilled plumbers are fully equipped to handle it and we offer competitive pricing for trenchless water line repair, replacement or installation.
Call us at (347) 778-2784 for professional main water line repair & replacement services you can count on. One of our friendly plumbers will be glad repair or replace your main water line.
Over 1,500 reviews on Google & Yelp
Great professional service provided by Antonio. He was efficient and went the extra mile.
I think Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair is a great company. From beginning to end everyone we encountered was extremely professional and courteous. They all took their time and did a great job answering our questions and explaining everything to us. Our first encounter was with Dave who spent the time with us and explained out options. The re-piping crew that came out - Lucio, Jose and Justin were amazing. The arrived a little earlier than their scheduled time and stayed until they completed everything. I was so impressed with their work and professionalism. The next person who came was Flaniel to "put our house back together" with the sheet rock repair. Just as the others, Flaniel was professional, very friendly and did an amazing job. If someone was to come into our house now, they would never know there were many holes in the sheetrock. If you are ever in the need to have the pipes replace in your house, Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair should be your only phone call.
Very pleased with the service from start to finish. Rod was extremely professional, respectful, and knowledgeable! The work performed was done flawlessly! Will definitely use again for all plumbing needs!
Dave was very attentive and was able to help with a last minute emergency on a Friday afternoon! He was very informative about my options and he was able to switch out my old water heater for a new one in a couple of hours! I would definitely recommend Dave.
Jason did a fantastic job troubleshooting it down to the repair and it was just something simple but I missed it so thank you Jason and thank you Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair
Dave Tzikas represents Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair as a true pro and explains the scope of work clients need very well! I will always recommend Dave and Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair. They take great care of my clients! 😊 Thank you!
Anthony was super respectful and very informative throughout our whole situation wouldn’t call anyone else. Amazing service
Fast and efficient service. Explained all the details of the maintenance and made recommendations. Would definitely recommend.
I have now used Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair for 3 separate jobs across 2 properties. Most recently, Dave knocked it out of the park with a main line repair. I will continue using this company in the future due to quality of work, fair pricing, and great staff.
Antonio is a terrific ambassador for your service. We couldn’t be more pleased with the assistance and attention to detail. Thank you!
Dave was awesome! On time...Professional…very knowledgeable….and pleasant! Fixed our problem and taught me something at the same time! Can’t ask for a better experience!
Rod was extremely courteous, professional, and competent. I would definitely recommend him!
Why Choose Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair?
Our plumbers help protect the health and comfort of our clients when hot water supplies are out, piping systems deteriorate, and drains don’t work.
We offer a direct road to appropriate, complete solutions through excellent home plumbing in the Metro Brooklyn area. Thorough estimates are available during our regular business hours and all consultations, inspections, repairs and installations are fulfilled with friendly service.
Working with us means you are served by a locally owned company and by a knowledgeable, dedicated staff whom are passionate about plumbing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the potential impacts of water line leaks?
Plumbing related leaks are more serious than you realize. They’re expensive, bad for the environment and they are everywhere!
Did you know Brooklyn has the second-highest water rates in the country? There are two reasons for this: many pipes are almost 100 years old and more than 10 billion gallons of water are wasted each year. (1)
20% to 35% of all residential homes have water leaks related to toilets. Toilets are often undetected because they are a silent source of water loss. (2)
If a toilet can leak as much as 300 gallons a day, imagine how much a water main line leak will waste. A typical home will leak as much as 2,000 to 20,000 gallons of water a year. (3)
Depending on which New York County you live in, you are impacting specific limited resources.
If you live in Gwinnett County, then your water is coming from Sidney Lanier Lake.
North Fulton County, South Fulton County and Dekalb County are using the water from the Chattahoochee River.
These two natural resources are managed with the coordinated efforts of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), the Brooklyn Regional Commission and the Department of Natural Resources.()
It’s important to your personal budget, community, and your local natural resources that water leaks are detected and repaired.
Please don’t disregard potential signs of a water leak!
- How to identify outside water main leaks?
Usually, when you search Google for “water main line”, it’s because a public water service line has broken and disrupted traffic. While gushing water flooding the street is an obvious sign of a problem, a broken home water line is less obvious.
You might notice a change in your water bill, but you don’t want to wait for that bill! You can contest the increased water bill cost, but that’s more stress.
There are two main options for detecting leaks in your water main:
- Have someone else do it…
- You can do it yourself.
Option 1
Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair is the reliable plumbing company serving Brooklyn, New York. We offer competitive pricing for trenchless water line repair, replacement or installation. Whether you need a new water line for your garden, barn or house, we will give you great value at a fair price. Bay Ridge Plumbing & Boiler Repair offers a free inspection.
Option 2
We recommend reading the four steps for detecting water leaks that are listed, on Gwinnett County’s website for water services education. You can view those steps by clicking here.
If you prefer video, Alliance for Water Efficiency, has one you can view by clicking here.
- Is a main water line leak your responsibility or not?
In most cases, leaks between the meter and the house are the responsibility of the homeowner.
This can be complicated by whether the water meter is on the public right-of-way side of the property line or not.
That’s why it’s important to contact the utilities company for your municipality to confirm the location and responsibility of the water lines, water meter and right-of-way property lines.
Possible locations of water main repair. Image source: Gwinnett County Department of Water Resources
- Can I do a water main line repair myself?
No matter how talented a DIY-er you are, there are several reasons you do not want to do a water main line repair yourself.
- Federal, State and Local Laws
- Permits
- Fees
- Water Contamination
- Damaging public water service lines
You could contaminate and pollute the water you and your neighbors consume.
Don’t believe us? Here’s what the Alliance for Water Efficiency has to say on the matter:
“The water utility should be contacted before any attempt to repair the water supply pipe. If the utility deems the leak to be the responsibility of the homeowner, a professional plumber should perform all repair work. This repair should never be attempted by a homeowner.” (5)
- How much does it cost to install, repair, or replace the water main line?
The average cost of a water main repair in Brooklyn:
- Low: $650
- Average: $850
- High: $1,000
The average cost of a water main replacement in Brooklyn:
- Low: $2,200
- Average: $3,400
- High: $4,000
You can cross reference the above prices from a non-bias 3rd party source at Home Guide’s plumbing estimates.
Regardless if you do the repair yourself or hire a professional plumber, the prices will fluctuate based on the following:
- Location of the leak
- The harder to access, then the higher the price
- Depth of pipe
- Obstructions to pipe
- Length of the pipe
- More material means more cost
- Trenchless repair is cheaper
- Digging is more expensive
- If the pipe is long, then digging is required
- Local Permit fees
- Application fee
- Inspection fee
- Re-inspection fees
- Percentage of total construction cost
- Violation fee (DIYs take note)
- Labor / Time