If a pipe bursts in your Winston home, close the main water valve and keep away from wet outlets. A plumber can replace the broken pipe and check the rest of the line. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Winston.
Winston is a small unincorporated community along I-20 in western Douglas County. Water comes from the Douglasville-Douglas County Water and Sewer Authority (WSA), drawn from its Dog River Reservoir. WSA owns the meter and the lines in the road right-of-way; homeowners own the water and sewer lines from the meter to the house. For an after-hours emergency, WSA's line is 770-942-6633. Sewer availability in Winston wasn't verified, and WSA notes that properties not on municipal sewer in the Dog River basin must keep their onsite systems maintained. Douglas County issues plumbing permits. Gas may come from Atlanta Gas Light (877.427.4321) or the Austell system (770.948.1841, option 1); your bill shows which.
First steps while you wait
- 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.
- Protect the water heater. Set a gas heater to pilot or turn off the breaker for an electric one until water is back on.
- Keep electricity and water apart. Shut breakers for flooded areas and unplug what you can reach from a dry spot.
- Clear the area, soak up standing water and start fans if it is safe to do so.
- Drain the lines. Open the lowest faucet or a hose bib to let remaining water out and take pressure off the break.
Reading the signs
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Water bill jump with no change in use | An unnoticed break leaking for weeks |
| Drips through a light fixture | Broken pipe in the floor or ceiling cavity above |
| Puddle beside the foundation | Leak where the supply enters the house |
| Low pressure everywhere, suddenly | A major break on the main line or service line |
| Hissing inside a wall | Pressurized leak in a supply pipe |
What affects the repair cost
- Digging. If the failure is on the buried line to the house, the job includes excavation.
- What the house is plumbed with. Matching PEX or copper is routine; old galvanized or mixed materials take extra transition work.
- The hour. A middle-of-the-night call costs more than one that can wait for business hours.
- The number of repairs. One crack is a short job; several along an outside wall add up.
- Extra work you choose, such as rerouting a line that keeps freezing or adding pipe insulation and frost-free hose bibs.
- How easy the break is to reach: an open crawl space or basement costs less time than a pipe sealed behind tile or finished drywall.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Winston
Who is responsible for a leak between the water meter and the house?
Does anything change after a burst if the house is not on municipal sewer?
Which pipes in a house are most likely to freeze and split?
How do I get the outside plumbing ready for the next freeze?
More plumbing services in Winston
Burst Pipe Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: