Have you ever heard of a water main break? While they aren’t nearly as common as some of the other plumbing jobs our team does, that doesn’t mean they don’t happen. And when they do, there’s not a whole lot of time to waste! Since one of our main goals behind this blog is to educate our readers on all things plumbing, it would be impossible to not have at least one post about water main breaks.
For those of you who are new to our blog, welcome to Stine-Nichols Plumbing. Based out of North Kansas City, MO, we strive to be a one-stop shop for any potential plumbing projects. Residential, commercial, new construction, you name it! As mentioned above, a major goal behind our blog is to provide fellow Kansas City homeowners with actionable tips that they can implement on their own plumbing system. Whether that be knowing the warning signs behind a failing sewer line or understanding the steps required to successfully maintain a water heater, we try to keep the content fresh! This week’s blog will analyze water main breaks from a number of different angles, including what they are, why they happen and how they can be fixed.
That all being said, let’s talk about the in’s and out’s of water main breaks!
What is a water main break?
First things first, it’s important to understand what exactly a water main break is. While they can be caused by a variety of factors (which we’ll highlight later in this blog), the actual definition of a water main break is fairly straightforward. A water main is the primary line that supplies water to homes or businesses. Considering it is transferring clean water from the city to individual homes and businesses, it is obviously a key cog that you always want working correctly. Well, as is the case with just about any other form of piping, water mains are also capable of breaking or cracking over time, hence the term “water main break.”
For the most part, it can be seemingly impossible to predict when water main breaks might happen and they often result in hefty repair bills as well. However, that doesn’t mean people aren’t trying to somewhat have an idea where water main breaks are most likely! Check out this interesting article from the Innovation Team at Syracuse University. They essentially compiled a number of different pieces of data to apply risk scores to specific water mains. This helped them predict which ones were most likely to break around Syracuse, NY and how preventative maintenance could help prevent this from happening. Very interesting project in the works!
Why do water main breaks occur?
Now that you have a general understanding of what water main breaks are and how they can seem to pop up out of nowhere, it’s important to look at why they are actually breaking in the first place. Here are a few of the more common reasons we have seen over the years.
Old Age
We’ve discussed this before in greater detail, but the truth is no piping material is built to last forever. Due to the constant wear and tear, they’ll all eventually start showing some signs of deterioration. That doesn’t discount the fact that some piping materials are certainly better than others though. For instance, many of the older water mains could’ve easily been built out of cast iron. Thanks to a few different flaws, these can have the tendency to crack after a while.
To check out our previous blog outlining how long various piping materials can be expected to last, click HERE.
Construction
Believe it or not, water main breaks are not always directly tied to a factor that we have little control over. Whether it be for utility work or any other form of construction, it’s not out of the realm of possibility for someone to hit a line while excavating. As always, we recommend taking all of the necessary precautions and doing your due diligence if you suspect you may be close to a water main!
Soil Conditions
Did you know the soil itself could also be to blame for water main breaks occurring? Well it’s true and soil conditions are certainly among the most common variables in water main breaks. For starters, soil can be acidic. This can be the result of a few different factors and even can be dependent on the actual geographic region. Nonetheless, acidic soils can be dangerous for underground piping and capable of leading to corrosion. As you could probably guess, when the corrosion continues over time, it will eventually result in the pipe cracking.
While we’re on the topic of soil conditions, you also want to remember that soil movement can cause issues as well. Think of it like this: The underground piping is surrounded by soil all around it. Even though the installation may have been perfectly correct and the soil around the pipe was properly patted down, it’s safe to say there could be some movement in the years following, right? When this happens, there is the possibility of the soil “settling” and causing extra pressure on the pipes themselves.
Temperature Changes
Have you ever experienced pipes bursting at your own home? If you live in the Kansas City area, you likely remember the arctic rush we had earlier this year that resulted in plumbers receiving countless calls about bursting pipes! In any case, what all of this reveals is that temperature can be a major factor in plumbing problems occurring. In terms of water main breaks, the colder winter weather tends to be more harsh on the pipes. The logic behind this is fairly simple. Consider all of the freezing and thawing that occurs during the winter months. When water freezes, it is said to expand roughly 10%. With this increase in volume, it’s not hard to see how it could cause significant pressure on the pipes themselves. Likewise, the same principles can be applied to the ground freezing as well.
Water Mains in Kansas City
Before I wrap up this blog, I thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at water mains in relation to Kansas City. KC Water has actually been involved in a project called the Water Main Replacement Program. Started in 2012, this program has been designed to replace water mains all throughout Kansas City. The KC Water Water Distribution Division Head, Melanie Jollett, stated last year, “We are using technology to determine which pipes need to be replaced first. The Info Asset Planner shows us where we have problems in the system. It evaluates the age and number of breaks and analyzes the likelihood and consequences of failure in the water main system.” All in all, it has resulted in the number of water main breaks decreasing substantially. Kudos KC Water! To learn more about the project, check out this article linked here.
The Water Main Experts in Kansas City
If you’ve been following us on Facebook or Instagram, you’ve likely seen a water main break project from time-to-time. While it’s certainly not something that happens every single day, when it does occur, it’s important to act quickly. Since multiple residents could be affected, you don’t want to waste any time. Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our team understands this and is experienced in repairing water main breaks, along with any other type of plumbing repair or installation.
To speak with a member of our team, feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the contact form on our website. We currently service the entire Kansas City area, as well as all of the surrounding cities. We look forward to working with you!