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Water line service
Leaking, aging or undersized water service lines repaired or replaced from the meter to the house, so you get steady pressure and clean water at every tap.
Your water service
Your water service line runs underground from the meter to the main shutoff inside your house. In older Baltimore area homes, that line can be galvanized steel that rusts from the inside or even lead. Newer lines can still crack, leak at fittings or get damaged by digging and settling soil.
We find out what your line is made of and what condition it is in, then repair the failed spot or replace the line with new pipe. Replacing the main shutoff valve at the same time is common, and we explain why if yours needs it.
Signs of trouble
These signs often point to the service line rather than a fixture inside.
Weak flow at every tap, not just one, can mean a corroded, leaking or undersized line coming into the house.
Brown or orange water, especially first thing in the morning, is common with old galvanized pipe rusting inside.
A soggy patch between the meter and the house, with no rain to explain it, often marks a service line leak.
A bill that climbs without any change in use can mean water is escaping underground before it reaches the house.
How we work
We confirm the pipe material, test pressure and look for the leak or restriction between the meter and the house.
We decide whether a spot repair or a new line makes sense, mark utilities and give you the price.
New pipe is run and connected at the meter side and the house, with a new main shutoff where needed.
We pressure test the new line, flush it, check every fixture and backfill the trench.
Why Empire
A water service line is one of the most important pipes in your home, and it is out of sight. We identify what you have, explain whether repair or replacement makes sense and do the work to code. You know the price up front and what happens at each stage.
We tell you if your line is galvanized, lead or copper, and what that means for your water and pressure.
Our crew brings the excavation equipment needed, so service line work does not wait on another contractor.
A failing main shutoff is replaced while the water is off, so you can actually turn it off when it matters.
You approve the full scope and cost before we open the ground, with no surprises once the trench is dug.
Questions
Do not see your question? Call (443) 630-9804 during office hours and talk to a licensed plumber.
Lead pipe is dull gray, soft and shows a shiny silver color if gently scratched. It is most likely in homes built before the mid 1900s. The safest way to know is to have us look where the line enters the house and confirm the material.
Usually the homeowner is responsible for the service line from the property side of the meter or curb stop into the house, and the utility owns the rest. Exact rules depend on whether you are in Baltimore City, Baltimore County or Anne Arundel County, so we confirm it for your address.
Yes. Galvanized pipe narrows as rust builds inside, and an old line may be smaller than a modern household needs. If pressure is weak at every fixture, testing the incoming line is one of the first things we check.
Water is off while the new line is connected, and we plan the work to keep that time as short as possible. We let you know before we start roughly how long it will be off on your job.
We repair when it makes sense. A single leak in an otherwise good copper line can often be fixed. An old galvanized or lead line with problems in several places is usually better replaced, and we explain the difference in cost.
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Request an estimate
Call (443) 630-9804 and we will check your water service line and explain the fix and price before we start.
