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Low water pressure can be frustrating for homeowners and often signals that something more serious is happening within the plumbing system. When pressure suddenly drops or continues getting worse, it may indicate a hidden leak somewhere in the main water supply line.
A homeowner in Rathdrum contacted us after noticing that the water pressure in their house had dropped significantly. Homes in the area occasionally experience underground water line problems that require professional diagnosis. We regularly provide plumbing services throughout the community, which you can learn more about on our Rathdrum plumbing page.
Finding the Source of the Problem
Situations like this often require professional leak detection to determine whether the issue is occurring inside the home or somewhere along the underground water line.
After performing leak detection, we discovered that the problem was a severe break in the home’s main water supply line. When underground water mains fail, large amounts of water can escape into the surrounding soil, which reduces the amount of water reaching the house and results in noticeable pressure loss.
Because the damaged section of pipe was buried underground, excavation was required to expose the water line and access the break.
Excavating and Replacing the Water Main
A trench was carefully excavated to expose the damaged section of pipe. Once the broken portion of the water main was located, the compromised piping was removed and replaced with new piping to restore the integrity of the system.
During the repair we also installed a tracer wire along the new water line. Tracer wires allow underground utility lines to be located accurately in the future using specialized locating equipment. This makes it easier to identify the location of the water line if repairs or other underground work are needed later.
Restoring Proper Water Pressure
Once the new water main section was installed and tested, the system was pressurized again and the home’s water pressure returned to normal levels. Identifying the break quickly prevented the need for multiple excavation attempts and allowed the repair to be completed efficiently.
When water pressure suddenly drops, it is often a sign of a hidden plumbing problem that needs to be diagnosed and repaired before further damage occurs.
