I Hit the Water Line While Drilling—Now What?

What happens if you accidentally hit a water line while drilling on your property? The answer is usually “nothing good.” Risking hitting a water line while drilling in Roseville, CA is never a good idea. In fact, it’s never a good idea to do any sort of excavating on your property unless you know exactly where all your underground lines are located. Whether you’re trying to fix the plumbing or install a new property feature, water line damage can cause leaks, foundational damage, soil erosion and a whole host of other problems. Here’s what to do if you accidentally hit a water line:

• Stop the leak: First and foremost, you need to stop the leak before it gets out of control. If you allow the water to continue leaking, it could easily flood your property in a matter of hours. This is why it’s important to know where the water main is located and how to shut it off. Once you realize you’ve sprung a leak, shut off the main valve. This might be next to or inside your front yard water box. Alternatively, it could be located under your main sink. Don’t forget to flush all your toilets, turn off the sinks and drain other water lines (like laundry machines or dishwashers) to reduce the amount of water in your system.
• Find the puncture point: After the water has stopped gushing, it’s time to find the exact puncture point location. Sometimes this is less obvious than it should be. If you have trouble locating the leak, look for soggy spots in your yard. If the leak is indoors, you’ll probably see soggy walls and floors. Once you’ve located it, you can start to dam it up.
• Beware of electricity: Your water line might be in the same area as your electrical lines, which means it might be dangerous to do DIY repairs. Instead, we recommend shutting off the power, damming the leak and calling professionals in to help as soon as possible.
• Call a professional: Speaking of professionals, you might need one or more to get the job done. If you’ve hit more than one underground utility line, you’ll probably need more than just a plumber to complete the job. You may need help from an electrician, natural gas contractor or other expert. Don’t try to fix the problems yourself, or you may end up with even more damage. Worse, you could seriously injure yourself and others.
• Call your insurance company: After the damage is done, make sure to call your homeowners’ insurance agency to determine whether they can pay for all or part of the damage.
• Call a drilling professional: Finally, if your project requires more drilling, take the time to call a drilling professional. They’re specifically trained in making sure that no underground lines are hit.

Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. can help avoid problems like hitting a water line while drilling in Roseville, CA. We’ll identify the location of any lines on your property before beginning any work. Call us today to get started.

Categorised in: Underground Utilities, Utility Locating Techniques

This post was written by Writer