Burst Water Pipes In Homes: Common Causes Explained By Your Plumber | Bloomington, IL

Plumbing issues are inevitable, thus plumbing issues such as pipe bursts may not be an unusual occurrence for most homeowners in Bloomington, IL. It is a problem that can cause a great deal of discomfort and cost you a lot of time and money to repair the damages.

Unlike other plumbing problems, burst pipes are easy to identify if in an open place in your home. However, in unheated spaces such as attics, crawlspaces, walls, and basements, it may take time to identify the problem until you notice mold growth or experience high water bills and fluctuating water pressure. When this happens, it would be wise to have a plumber identify, diagnose, and repair the pipes.

Early repairs will go a long way in saving your property from floods, structural damages, and expensive water damage restoration costs. The following are some of the reasons why water pipes burst in homes.

Freezing

The first cause of water pipe bursting issues involves freezing during cold seasons. Metal, Plastic, and copper pipes are susceptible to burst if the water freezes and expands due to extreme pressure.

As more and more water accumulates and freezes in one particular area of the pipe, the pressure becomes too high, causing the water pipe to burst. Pipes connected to outdoor faucets, on exterior walls, water sprinkler lines, basements, kitchen cabinets, garages, and other unheated interior parts of the house are vulnerable to freezing during the winter season.

Homeowners in Bloomington, IL, should be mindful of the freezing weather and contact a plumber before the winter season sets off. They will winterize and insulate pipes to prevent them from freezing.

Without the preventive measures to avert frozen water pipe issues, you will have burst water pipes to contend with, leading to severe problems such as floods and mold growth.

Corrosion

Most water pipes are made of concrete or metal, including galvanized steel, copper, ductile iron, and aluminum. The probability of metal pipes corroding is higher compared to plastic water pipes and concrete pipes. They are prone to rust due to soil surrounding the water lines, solution PH, pipe properties, concentrations of ions, salts, Alkalinity, and chemicals found in hard and soft water that can lead to corrosion of steel water pipes.

Other factors, including water temperatures and gases, can also contribute to the rusting of pipes. So, as hard or soft water passes through the water pipes for years, the metal pipes might corrode and slowly burst open.

A professional and skilled plumber that carries out regular maintenance of the steel pipes can recognize the rusting pipes earlier before they crack open. If the problem is not detected early, the pipes could burst, leading to indoor floods and irreversible damage to your property.

Therefore, an experienced plumbing company can replace the metal or steel water pipes with concrete or plastic pipes to avert corrosion problems.

High Water Pressure

Another reason behind water pipes bursting is high or extreme water pressure. The increase in water pressure can be due to a faulty regulator that fails to regulate pressure to its optimal level, or water is being pumped at high speed from the municipal water lines to your home.

Also, faulty water lines can cause fluctuating water pressures as water might slow down and speed up at interval levels. The optimum water pressure level should be at a maximum of 60 psi (pounds per square inch). At this high psi, the water lines become vulnerable to bursting.

A plumbing professional equipped with state-of-the-art tools will help identify the actual cause of the high water pressure and rectify it before the pipes crack open.

If the high pressure leads to burst pipes, the plumber will recommend replacing the damaged pipes to forestall problems such as water damage and skyrocketing water bills.

Tree Encroachment

Despite bringing value to your home, trees can cause your plumbing pipes to burst due to root encroachment. If your plumber installed the water lines close to a nearby tree, or you planted a tree in proximity to the water pipes distributing water to your house, you are susceptible to face bursting pipe issues.

As the tree grows, the roots extend further in the soil until they reach the water pipes. They will continue to grow through the water lines and apply pressure on them.

Since most pipes are not strong enough to stop encroachment, they will crack open with time. At this point, you will need a talented plumber to remove the roots and change the piping line far from the tree.

The repairs might take a while, but the plumbing professional should ensure the new water line path will not be prone to tree encroachment issues.

Clogs

Additionally, pipes in your home are prone to burst due to clogs. Plumbing systems are bound to have problems because of blockages caused by dirt, debris, hairs, and foreign particles.

If you are the type that pays little attention to regular maintenance, your water pipes will burst because of the pressure they feel from the build-up of dirt, grime, and minerals. The outpouring water will compel you to call an experienced plumber for emergency plumbing services to clear the clog and replace the broken pipe.

Soil Shifting

Last but not least, the reason behind water pipe bursting revolves around soil shifting. The soil around the pipes can shift due to construction practices close to the pipes.

A plumber might advise the construction crew of where the plumbing pipes are located to prevent them from disposing of displaced dirt close to the water pipes.

Call Us Today!

It is without-a-doubt that bursting water pipes can cause severe damages to your home, leading to indoor floods, water damages, destruction of property and valuable furniture, and high repair costs.

If you are having burst water pipes issues, you should consider calling Covenant Plumbing. Our reliable family-owned plumbing company in Bloomington, IL, will help you get an experienced plumber to handle all your plumbing water pipes issues.