If a pipe bursts in your Hapeville house, close the main water valve and switch off power near the water. A plumber can remove the split section and fit new pipe. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Hapeville.
Hapeville is a small historic city beside Hartsfield-Jackson, and its homes are older than most: the median was built in 1963, about 63% predate 1980, and many went up in the 1940s and 1950s around Virginia Park and the historic district. The city's Water and Sewer Division, part of Public Works, maintains the mains and service lines up to and including the meter, buying its water from the City of Atlanta. The line from the meter to the house belongs to the owner. The city has said leaking old service lines can cause big jumps in water bills, and it offers meter testing. Public Works is (404) 669-2120; no after-hours water number is published.
Your first ten minutes
- Find the main valve and turn it off. In many homes it sits in the crawl space, basement, garage or a utility closet near the water heater.
- Get valuables out of the way, mop what you can and set buckets under drips. A sagging ceiling can be drained with a small hole over a bucket.
- Turn the water heater down. Switch an electric unit off at the breaker or set a gas unit to pilot so it doesn't heat a tank that may be draining.
- Drain the lines. Open the lowest faucet or a hose bib to let remaining water out and take pressure off the break.
- Cut power where water is spreading. Switch off breakers for wet rooms, and stay out of standing water near outlets or appliances.
Symptom and likely cause
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Puddle beside the foundation | Leak where the supply enters the house |
| Meter dial creeping overnight | A slow leak in a wall, slab or buried line |
| No water on a very cold morning | A frozen line that may already be cracked |
| Ceiling stain spreading under a bathroom | Leak in a supply line or fitting above |
| Hissing inside a wall | Pressurized leak in a supply pipe |
Why repair bills vary
- The hour. A middle-of-the-night call costs more than one that can wait for business hours.
- Whether the leak is underground. Breaks on the buried line from the meter take excavation and backfill.
- How many places failed. A single cold night can crack the same line in two or three spots.
- The pipe material. Copper, CPVC and PEX splice in easily, while tying new pipe into old galvanized steel takes more fittings and time.
- Extra work you choose, such as rerouting a line that keeps freezing or adding pipe insulation and frost-free hose bibs.
- Where the pipe sits. Exposed runs are quick to reach; pipes behind cabinets, tile or ceilings add labor.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Hapeville
My water bill jumped. Could a hidden break be the cause?
Who is responsible for a leak between the water meter and the house?
A pipe just burst. What do I turn off first?
Does one burst pipe mean an older house needs repiping?
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