Summer is very close here in the Dallas area and that means hot temperatures. For the past few summers we’ve posted items on Summer Plumbing Tips to help you avoid costly repairs caused by the summer heat. We are here to offer you more home improvement tips with learning how to stop pipe leakage.
During the summer months we often see pipe breaks and pipe leaks due to shifts in the ground of a home. While these pipe breaks and leaks are sometimes inside the home or near the foundation, often they are out by the median or curb. These breaks or leaks could cause the need for a slab leak repair, a sewer line repair or just a regular water pipe repair.
As you probably know, the clay soil in the North Texas area doesn’t respond well to heat. The sun and high temperatures cause our soil to crack and shrink if it doesn’t receive enough water. While this can cause foundation problems to your home, many people don’t think about what it can do to your plumbing.
It is very important to keep your lawn and foundation watered during the hot, dry summers in the Dallas area. Many homeowners will use a soaker-hose to keep their foundation moist and hopefully avoid any foundation repair.
What we’ve found is that many homeowners overlook the need to adequately water the median. The ground closest to the curb often is overlooked or not water as consistently.
For those with sprinkler systems, this is much easier to keep an eye on. For homeowners who put out portable sprinklers, the challenge of keeping the ground moist is much more difficult.
If the ground closest to the curb begins to become dry and shrink up, it can begin to move your pipes underground. As the ground continues to shrink it will continue to move and put pressure on these pipes. If the ground puts enough pressure on the pipes, eventually you will have a pipe break or leak.
Every summer we answer dozens and dozens of calls for homeowners who have experienced a pipe break. First we use our leak location tools to determine exactly where the pipe break or pipe leak is located and then begin the pipe repair.
Water restrictions and other variables contribute to the frequency in which you are able to water your lawn. We recommend that you water it as many days a week as you are allowed for at least 10 minutes. We also have a previous post on Watering Tips. You don’t want to over water the ground…our clay soil doesn’t absorb excess water very well, so you’ll only be wasting your water, but you do want to give it a little water as often as possible to help keep it moist and hopefully prevent any pipe breaks or pipe leaks.
If you have any questions about how to stop a pipe leakage or want more home improvement tips, give Total Plumbing a call at 972-681-4434. We serve the Dallas area including Plano, Garland, Rockwall, Rowlett, Sunnyvale and other DFW areas.
