Water Leaks

January 2023

Yesterday we noticed that the ground around our meter was sodden under foot and the pavement was wet. Crap. There was a leak! We hoped that the leak was on the outside of our property so we wouldn’t have to wear the expense. We figured it could be because of the tree that is on the outside and where the pavement is cracked because of its roots under the concrete.

The digital meter that was installed by our water provider was faulty (the numbers kept moving in random order and showing Err so the Water Company replaced it with the reliable brass meter as an interim solution which I thought strange as they are all being replaced. Usually replacements are “like for like”. Not this time. Maybe there’s an issue with all digital meters? 🤔 Anyway…

After the Water Company replaced the meter, the plumbers got to work and started digging around the area to reveal the old galvanised pipe (original) that was under ground from the first replacement. They would have replaced the galvanised pipe with copper wiring many years ago but rather than ditching the old galvanised pipe, they just dug over it. This means that there was a leak somewhere in the copper piping.

This was the original previous piping to the property made of galvanised iron. Look how clogged up it was. This would have been the reason why they changed over to copper piping for incoming water to the property years ago.

More digging and they take out the culprit. Sure enough a tree root from the pavement (the council’s tree) has ruptured the piping.

Here’s the hole the tree root made and the reason for the leak.

Overall, the job was fixed in an hour and I stood by and watched the entire process asking questions along the way. It’s been fascinating to learn so much about our home while work was being done. Old homes (and ours was built in the early 60s, being the display home in the area at the time, blocks of land were opening up) means constant repair. Since then, it’s had only a couple of owners before us. A man who bought the original house; a young Greek background family who renovated it in the early 90s in the style of that time, adding an additional extension and us.

Our modifications over the years have been “out of sight” except for our major backyard relandscaping. That is, roof repairs, water leaks, major gas pipe and water pipes reconfiguring for site drainage. Everything in the house has stayed the same – and it’s showing it’s age. To overcome this, I decorate in the style of vintage/retro anyway so when people come to our place they mention how much it feels like the “homes they grew up in”. I take that as a compliment. 🤣

Anyway, we can always do the inside at a later time. There’s always a peace of mind to know that the most critical things (usually hidden) are in working order. The rest is cosmetic.

Water Leaks

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