A McKinney home on city water is fed by a service pipe that runs from the water main under the street to the meter. When that pipe fails, water can surface in the yard, and a leak after the meter can find its way into the house.
Key takeaways
- The City of McKinney began a 10 year project in April 2017 to replace failing copper water service pipes with polyethylene pipe.
- The City says service pipes installed from 1997 to 2011 used copper that has not held up well, and it blames substandard copper and aggressive soil in the region.
- The City pays to replace the public portion of each pipe, so a leak inside the house is a separate repair.
- A wet or sunken patch near the meter and a drop in pressure point to a failing service pipe, while a meter that keeps moving with every fixture off points to a leak after the meter.
- Water that reaches the house is extracted, and the structure is dried until readings reach the dry goal.
What the City is replacing
In April 2017 the City of McKinney began a 10 year project to replace failing copper water service pipes with polyethylene pipe. The service pipes in the project connect underground water mains to the meters.
The City says some service pipes installed from 1997 to 2011 used copper that has not held up well. Those pipes can leak or fail and interrupt water service, and the City blames substandard copper and aggressive soil in the region.
The City pays to replace the public portion of each pipe.
Signs of a failing service pipe
A leak between the main and the meter often shows outdoors first, and it can show at the taps as well.
Outside the house
- A wet, soft or sunken patch near the curb or the meter box.
- Water running or pooling around the meter box.
- Grass that stays green and soggy in a dry spell.
At the taps
- A drop in water pressure at several fixtures.
- Sputtering or an interruption in service.
- Cloudy or discolored water after the pressure changes.
A slow leak underground
A pinhole leak in a buried pipe can run for a long time, softening the soil and letting water follow the pipe toward the house.
Before the meter or after it
A meter counts only the water that passes through it. As a rule of thumb, a leak before the meter does not move the dial, and a leak after the meter does.
That makes the meter a useful clue about which side of it the problem sits on. A plumber or the City confirms the answer.
A leak right at the meter connection can be hard to place, so the City and a plumber may both need to look.
- A dial that keeps moving with every fixture off points to a leak after the meter, inside the house or on the home's own pipes.
- A wet patch beside the meter with a dial that stays still points to a leak before the meter.
- The City says residents can call it to request an emergency water turn off or to report a water meter leak, a water main break, a fire hydrant leak or a clogged or overflowing wastewater main.
Who handles which part
The City pays for the public portion of each service pipe. A leak inside the house is a separate repair, and a plumber confirms where a failing pipe sits.
- The City, for a meter leak, a main break or an emergency turn off.
- A plumber, for a leak inside the house or on the home's own pipes.
- A restoration team, for water that has already reached floors, walls or ceilings.
What water does once it reaches the house
A leak near a house can soak flooring, drywall and cabinets quickly, and a slow one can do the same without being noticed.
Clean water from a supply pipe is Category 1 under the IICRC S500 standard, and it dries well while it stays clean. Left standing in carpet or insulation, it can pick up contamination and be handled more strictly.
Water from the yard
Wet soil beside the house can send water toward walls and floors. A restoration team handles water extraction in McKinney for what reached the floor and checks the wall bottoms with a moisture meter.
Water from a failed pipe indoors
A burst or leaking pipe inside soaks flooring, drywall and cabinet bases. Burst pipe water damage in McKinney work starts with shutting off the water and extracting what is standing.
Older galvanized pipe, too
The City's page on galvanized service pipes says galvanized pipe was commonly installed in homes built before 1980. Decades of water exposure make it corrode and rust on the inside.
The City's housing profile says about 85 percent of McKinney's housing was built after 1990 and over 90 percent after 1980. Owners of older homes can ask a plumber which kind of pipe their house has.
- Rust colored water at the tap.
- Falling pressure at older fixtures.
- Visible corrosion at joints or shutoff valves.
Drying and the claim file
Drying after a pipe failure follows the readings. Extraction removes standing water first, and dehumidifiers and air movers then dry floors, wall bottoms and cabinet bases until the readings reach the dry goal.
A drying log with daily readings gives the adjuster the full picture, and it shows when floors, walls and cabinets reached the dry goal.
Burst or leaking pipe jobs typically run $1,500 to $3,500 for a single room and $3,500 to $8,000 when walls and ceilings are involved. Coverage depends on the policy, and some policies treat a slow leak differently from a sudden one.
Prosper, west of McKinney, follows the same order of work under burst pipe water damage restoration. Residents of McKinney can start at the McKinney water damage restoration page.
- Dated photos of the wet yard, floor or wall.
- The meter reading before and after the water is shut off.
- The plumber's report on where the pipe failed.
- Daily moisture readings from the drying team.
Questions
What is a water service pipe?
It is the pipe that connects the underground water main to a property's meter. In McKinney's project the City pays to replace the public portion of each failing pipe.
Which McKinney pipes is the City replacing?
Failing copper water service pipes, which the City is replacing with polyethylene pipe in a 10 year project that began in April 2017.
How can a homeowner tell whether a leak is before or after the meter?
A meter counts only the water that passes through it. A dial that keeps moving with every fixture off points to a leak after the meter, and a wet patch beside the meter with a still dial points to a leak before it. The City and a plumber confirm which.
Does the City's project cover pipes inside the house?
No. The City says it pays for the public portion only.
Who should be called about a leak at the meter?
The City says residents can call it to report a water meter leak, a main break or a fire hydrant leak, and to request an emergency water turn off.
Does homeowners insurance cover water damage from a failing pipe?
Coverage depends on the policy and on whether the leak was sudden or slow. The policy wording decides.