Signs of a Leak Between the Well and the House
The water line runs underground from your well to the house. When it leaks, you rarely see the pipe. You see what the leak does to everything around it.
- A soggy or sunken strip of yard between the well and the house
- Water pooling near the well head, sometimes with a hissing sound
- A pump that runs more than it should or never quite shuts off
- Pressure that fades when nothing inside is turned on
- Grass that stays green and lush in one line during dry weather
A pump that never shuts off can even be a running toilet, so check the house first. Our guide to water pooling near the well explains what that wet spot can mean.
Water Line Repair Starts With Finding the Leak
Good water line repair starts with finding the actual leak, not digging up the whole yard. We look at the pressure tank, the pressure switch reading and how the pump behaves, then narrow down where the water is going. Diagnosis is free within reason. We like to talk it through by phone first.
Why buried lines fail
Freezing, shifting soil, tree roots and old brittle pipe can all crack a buried line. Lines buried too shallow are more likely to freeze. A leak left alone keeps the pump running and can wash out soil around the well. If pressure has slowly faded instead, our post on low water pressure on a well covers other causes.
Once we know where it is, we dig only what we need, fix or replace the damaged section, and backfill so the yard can settle back.
What a Pitless Adapter Does
The pitless adapter is the fitting where the underground water line passes through the side of the well casing. It keeps the connection below the frost line and lets the pump be pulled without digging. Over time the seals can wear or the fitting can crack, and water can escape at that joint.
A leaking pitless adapter often shows up as a wet spot right at the well. It can also let surface water into the well, so we may suggest water testing after the repair. If the casing itself is damaged, see our well casing repair page.
New Water Line Installation and Trenching
Some old lines are not worth patching. Brittle pipe, repeated leaks or a line that was never buried deep enough are all good reasons to replace the whole run. We handle new water line installation and the trenching that comes with it, and the work meets county code.
We also trench for lines out to barns, gardens and yard hydrants. That work comes up a lot on farm properties around Catharpin and Catlett.
Serving Prince William, Fauquier and Nearby Counties
Oasis Well Service is a family business, now in its third generation. We cover Prince William County, Fauquier County and the counties around them, from Haymarket and Bristow out to Warrenton. If the leak has left you with no water at all, our emergency no-water service runs 24/7. Call 703-791-3981 to set up a visit.
