Now that spring has arrived, keep a watchful eye out in the yard for a leaking or broken water line. A broken or leaking water line is the kind of thing that can go unnoticed during the winter and early spring because the yard is either wet or covered with snow but now that it’s starting to dry out, the tell-tale signs of a broken water line should be obvious.
One of the most obvious signs of a leaky water line is an area of the yard that always stays damp and mushy. This can be a sign of other problems such as a sewer line break or a septic drain field problem, but if the mushy area does not have a foul odor and is roughly in an area where the water line would run, it’s probably a broken water line.
Another indication of a broken water line is that your water bill will be consistently higher than normal. It could be just a few dollars extra a month, but combined with a soft spot in the yard this is a sure sign of a broken water line.
You can confirm a broken water line by turning off the water inside your home, then checking the meter. If it moves at all, then you know the water line is broken. Call a good local plumber and have the water line repaired as soon as possible. It may only be a few dollars a month now, but the leak will quickly get worse. In addition, a broken water line can cause all sorts of problems such as underground erosion problems with your home’s foundation.
