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When a failure in a buried water line leaves your Winston-Salem, NC home out of water or service, you may have the option to choose trenchless or traditional water line repair or replacement. Here's how these methods differ. Trenchless vs. Traditional Methods for Repairing Underground Water Lines The Traditional Method Under the traditional dig-and-replace approach, the crew opens up the ground along the full run of the pipe, lifts out the deficient pipe bits, and lays down either a whole new one or a repaired section in the same corridor. Then the trench is backfilled, and the surface is rebuilt. The issue here is that a private service line that runs from your building's foundation toward the public main often crosses a lawn, a walkway, a driveway, and sometimes the public edge of pavement. That means each of those surfaces has to be cut, protected, and later patched and restored. To get this done, you'll need to work with a licensed underground contractor who can handle not just the pipe itself, but also getting the necessary permits, making the road cuts, dealing with traffic control, and pouring asphalt or concrete as well as potentially re-sodding your lawn. Why Do an Open Excavation at All? With those drawbacks, you might wonder why anyone would use this method, but there are definitely reasons to choose it. When the crew must be able to see the pipe, the soil, and any crossing utilities at the same time, this is the only method that works. If you've got a collapsed pipe section or a line that has drifted off its original grade, this can be the only option. Or, if you're dealing with a cluster of gas, electric, and communications lines sitting close to the water pipe, this can be a safer way. Trenchless Excavation This method uses no excavation or only minimal excavation and surface disruption, and it works on water mains as well as on sewers and gas lines. It doesn't interfere as much with traffic, businesses, and homes, and, in most cases, it has a lower overall cost than a comparable open trench. Pipe Bursting With this method, a bursting head is pulled through the old pipe, splitting it and pushing the pieces out into the soil, while a new pipe of the same size or larger is drawn in behind it on the same line. That is different from lining, which leaves the old pipe in place and only coats or sleeves the inside. Horizontal Boring Horizontal boring installs a new pipe through undisturbed soil between an entry point and an exit point, and it is the usual way to work when you have to cross under a road or a driveway without cutting up the surface. At JP Underground Connections, we use road cuts and bores together as needed and use a non-invasive approach when the site allows it. Get Help for Your Winston-Salem, NC Home If you've got a supply line that's leaking, aging, or already failed, contact JP Underground Connections for a site visit. We are based out of Kernersville and typically serve all areas within 45 minutes to an hour.

Few things induce panic like a sudden leak in the house, especially of the main line. The best way to protect your Thomasville, NC home is to know in advance what steps to take while you wait for emergency water line repair to arrive. What to Do When There's a Leak Stop the Main Water Supply The moment you spot signs of a water line leak, you have to stop the flow. This means shutting off the main water shutoff valve right away, and that's not something you want to be hunting for when water is pouring into your home. Take time now to find that valve. In most homes this valve sits where the supply line enters the house; usually in a basement, garage, utility closet, or along an exterior wall facing the street. It may even be outdoors near a hose bib or buried near the meter at the street, though that's less common. Turn the handle clockwise until it stops completely. Ball valves with a lever handle need only a quarter turn perpendicular to the pipe; older gate valves take several full rotations. Once the main is closed, open a faucet on the lowest level of the house and flush a toilet once. This gets rid of the remaining water in your lines quickly. Protect Everyone If water is already pooling near outlets, appliances, or the breaker panel, you must get the power off. Water conducts current far better than dry air, so standing in even a shallow puddle while touching a live circuit could be deadly. Do not step into a wet area to reach the panel if the floor is already flooded. If you can safely reach the main breaker from dry ground, shut off power to the affected rooms and leave the power off until a qualified electrician confirms it is safe. If there's no way to get to the breaker panel, evacuate the house. Call for Emergency Water Line Repair As soon as the main flood has been stopped and everyone is safe, call us at 336-223-3615. We offer 24/7 emergency service. Contain the Water Once help is on the way and the water and electricity situations are controlled, try to contain the water that has already escaped, if you can. Grab towels, mops, buckets, and a wet/dry vacuum if you have one. Place buckets under any active drips and move rugs, furniture legs, electronics, and important papers out of the path of the flood. For wooden furniture, slip some plastic containers or aluminum foil under the legs to prevent staining. The longer standing water sits, the more it soaks into flooring, drywall, and insulation. If it's safe to do so with the electricity situation, set up fans to help get things dried out. Take Pictures for Insurance Before you start any heavy cleanup you'll want to get some clear photos and short videos of the wet areas, the location of the leak, and any damaged belongings. Your insurance claim will move faster if you have dated, visual evidence of the original condition of your home to compare this to, and that's something you can do now. Get Help for Your Thomasville, NC Home For all your plumbing needs, contact JP Underground Connections in Kernersville, NC. We work in Thomasville and any area within 45 minutes of Kernsville.