Repair or Replace main water line?

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MarcPSF

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Hello-

Woke the other day to a major leak from our main water line. It runs about 50 ft. from the street to our house, 1 inch PVC. The leak appears to be from a prior break in the line that was repaired at some point in the past (with cinder blocks placed on top to level it (the plumber believes). Line is about 40 yrs old, and has some big trees nearby (and runs up a hill), so many roots. See photo below.

Plumbing company is recommending replacement of line with copper, and would not try to repair. Curious if repair is an option on this type of pipe? The prior repair lasted 10+ years.

Appreciate the input!

Marc
 

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I repair them all the time. There’s labor involved in digging them up of course..

Not all plumbers have equal skills.
 
Not always about skill, some companies don’t want to deal with a repair. Most larger companies around us give a 25year warranty on replacement and no warranty on repairs
You may get another 10 years from a repair. You might get a week and it will leak in a different spot.
 
Not always about skill, some companies don’t want to deal with a repair. Most larger companies around us give a 25year warranty on replacement and no warranty on repairs
You may get another 10 years from a repair. You might get a week and it will leak in a different spot.
If they don’t want to do repairs then they should get out of the plumbing repair business.
If it leaks some place else in a week that how the cookie crumbles.

I repair water mains on a regular basis without issues.

That’s my opinion and experience.
 
Would the lifespan be less than a full replacement, though?

Of course it would...
🤣

I’ve repaired a lot of copper water services due to lightning strikes.

I’ve found tree roots that have pinched soft copper closed, copper that roots have broken.

It all leaks at some point or another for one reason or another.

You had a 10+ old leak that was repaired with an inferior method. That in my experience doesn’t mean it should be replaced.

It means it wasn’t repaired in a professional way 10 years ago and now there’s a leak. Those couplings you have pictured of the past repair are crap.......as a pro I will not use them.
 
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So if it leaks in 10 months 6” from your repair will you fix it or do you tell them sorry about your luck?

Also a year may fly where you are but here it’s a mandatory 3yr warranty for any work in the ground. Not many companies want to deal with a call 2 1/2 years later saying your patch is leaking again.
 
So if it leaks in 10 months 6” from your repair will you fix it or do you tell them sorry about your luck?

Also a year may fly where you are but here it’s a mandatory 3yr warranty for any work in the ground. Not many companies want to deal with a call 2 1/2 years later saying your patch is leaking again.

Depends on why it leaks.

Your scenario has never happened to me.

My repairs last,that’s why I’m successful in my area.
 
that’s the code my friend. Your opinions are irrelevant if your not playing by the same rules. Like comparing apples to oranges
 
that’s the code my friend. Your opinions are irrelevant if your not playing by the same rules. Like comparing apples to oranges

Like wise, your opinions and practices are irrelevant if you’re not playing by the code we follow.

See what I did there ?

Nice talking with you......🤣
 
Some people do not have the money to replace a water service.

Some people need water today and they can’t get the pipe replaced today.

There are many reasons to repair and there are reasons to replace.


To the OP: Do what you want to do, it’ll be fine with me.
 
I didn’t put an opinion out there , you did

what couplings of a past leak are you referring to?
I never said I had a leak, I was asking a hypothetical question, secondly the op had plastic not copper.
 
I’m sure he will sleep better knowing you are ok with his decision!

and I never suggested he take either option. I just commented on it’s all about skill comment

money always plays a role, so if one company doesn’t want to do it there is always another company that will. Not arguing that
 
I didn’t put an opinion out there , you did

what couplings of a past leak are you referring to?
I never said I had a leak, I was asking a hypothetical question, secondly the op had plastic not copper.

You posted your opinion on my opinion. I responded back to you.

I never commented on you having a leak.

Secondly, the OP says the plumbing company is suggesting replacing the pvc with copper.

I informed the OP that copper leaks too......

Anything else ?
 
I’m sure he will sleep better knowing you are ok with his decision!

and I never suggested he take either option. I just commented on it’s all about skill comment

money always plays a role, so if one company doesn’t want to do it there is always another company that will. Not arguing that
He signed up to this forum to get my opinion. So you’re probably right.

Not all plumbers are equally skilled.

I stand by that statement. It’s true.
 
So if it leaks in 10 months 6” from your repair will you fix it or do you tell them sorry about your luck?
I recently had a leak in copper pipe repaired. If a leak occurred 6 inches away from the repair on the next day I would not expect the plumber to fix it under warranty of the previous work. The new leak is not from the pipe he repaired. If the newly soldered joint leaked THAT should be warranted. Would you expect the work to be warranted if the leak was 12 inches away? 24 inchs? This sounds like an argument for not offering a warranty on any repair.
 

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