Signs the service is failing
- Low pressure everywhere, even with good city supply
- A wet patch in the lawn between the curb and the house that never dries
- A leak where the line comes through the foundation wall
- Old galvanized or lead pipe visible before the meter
Lead service pipes
Some homes from built before about 1955 can still have lead service pipes. Lead is soft, dull grey and scratches easily to a shiny silver. If you suspect lead, contact the City; municipalities in the region have offered water testing and replacement programs. Check current details with the City.
How the work is done
- Locate utilities and arrange the municipal side if their section needs work too.
- Excavate at the foundation and near the curb stop.
- Pull new copper or approved plastic pipe using trenchless boring where possible.
- Seal the foundation penetration, connect at the meter and pressure test.
- Backfill, restore the lawn and flush the lines.
Related
A new service is often paired with whole-house repiping. If low pressure is your concern, read low water pressure causes.
The short version
Tell-tale signs
- Meter dial creeps with every tap in the house closed
- Blistered paint or a tea-coloured ring on a wall
- Turquoise crust building on a copper joint
- Faint hiss in a wall late at night
Kit on the van
- PEX crimp rings and a ratchet crimper
- Stainless repair clamps for a fast stop
- Drywall saw and a shop vac for wet cavities
- Pin moisture meter and a thermal imager
How we go about it
- Cut a tidy access hole right at the wet spot
- Saw out the bad length and sweat or crimp in new pipe
- Bring the line back up to pressure and watch it dry
- Leave the hole open a day if the cavity is soaked
Your questions, answered plainly
How deep is a service line?
It is buried below frost depth, which in this region generally means well over a metre.
Do I need to be house?
Yes, for the switchover inside the basement.