Galvanized water main burst tonight

2063 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by paintdrying, Dec 8, 2012

thatvoodoo

Discussion Starter · Dec 7, 2012

Ouch, tonight the galvanized water main for my 50-yr-old house burst open tonight, spewing water like mad. The water company came out, turned off my water, pumped out the flooded water meter box, and sadly informed me the problem was my responsibility.

The broken pipe is actually inside the concrete water meter box, it's a big hole in the pipe, the size of a quarter.

I have zero plumbing knowledge, so I came here to ask experienced people for advice.

Obviously, replacing all the galvanized pipe with something not from the Ozzie and Harriet era is the smart way to do this, but is there some type of quick-fix patch I can use as a crutch for a few months? Or dig up the pipe to find the first junction and replace only that one piece?

Thanks!

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COLDIRON

· #2 · Dec 7, 2012

Depends where you live if your really broke and need to get by a month or two maybe you can put something above ground from the box to a outside hose connection. I know it sounds funky but it would work if need be.
If your in a State that freezes in the Winter for get it and bite the bullet and have a new line installed.

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joecaption

· #3 · Dec 7, 2012

that voodo, go back and add where you live to your profile.
http://www.plumbingsupply.com/repairkit.html

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ben's plumbing

· #4 · Dec 7, 2012

if you have room you could use a pipe clamp it may hold in a fix for awhile...ben sr

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tylernt

· #5 · Dec 7, 2012

COLDIRON said:
if your really broke and need to get by a month or two maybe you can put something above ground from the box to a outside hose connection.

Only if nobody has replaced the hose bib with a new one with a backflow preventer.

thatvoodoo, if your galv rusted out in one place, it's probably about to rust out six more places between the meter and your house. Patching would be advisable only long enough to excavate for a new main. I would run new pipe all the way from the meter to the basement/crawl. And if there's still galv inside the house, I'd think long and hard about ripping it all out and replacing it before it causes thousands of dollars of water damage to your home.

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Ishmael

· #6 · Dec 7, 2012

How much pipe do you have to work with? If it would fit, a "dresser coupling" (or two) and a short galvy nipple of the same nominal diameter (if necessary) would do a good job until you have a chance to replace the whole run.

Pictures?

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Canarywood1

· #7 · Dec 7, 2012

This is what you need.

http://www.sprinklerwarehouse.com/PVC-Compression-Couplings-s/219.htm

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COLDIRON

· #8 · Dec 7, 2012

tylernt said:
Only if nobody has replaced the hose bib with a new one with a backflow preventer.

thatvoodoo, if your galv rusted out in one place, it's probably about to rust out six more places between the meter and your house. Patching would be advisable only long enough to excavate for a new main. I would run new pipe all the way from the meter to the basement/crawl. And if there's still galv inside the house, I'd think long and hard about ripping it all out and replacing it before it causes thousands of dollars of water damage to your home.

"DUH! Thanks"

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paintdrying

· #9 · Dec 8, 2012

sittiing here waiting

I was waiting for your post canarywood. Those things actually work really well.

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