Why a split line hides in the wall
A supply line in an exterior wall is enclosed, so water runs inside the cavity and shows only at the lowest point.
When a line splits inside an exterior wall, the water runs down the cavity and spreads through the insulation. It can reach the floor, the sill plate or the lower wall before anything shows on the surface. The first visible sign is often a stain or a soft spot far from the split.
That is why the crew reads the cavity at several heights rather than only at the stain. The readings show the path the water took, and the split is usually near the highest reading.
Holding the house while the trade works
The water is shut off and the house is kept warm enough for the drying to run.
Once the water is off, the house should be kept warm enough that the cavity and the floor can dry. A cold house slows drying and can allow the material to hold water for longer. The crew sets heat and airflow for the room and records the temperature on each visit.
The homeowner should not turn the heat off in the affected rooms while the drying is running. The crew will say what temperature it needs.
What the plumber receives
The plumber gets a written list with the location, the readings and the condition of the nearby pipes.
A plumber repairing a split line works faster with a written list. The crew gives the location of the wet area, the readings at each height, the nearest shut-off and the condition of the nearby pipes, including any other line that looks stressed by the cold.
The list is kept in the file. It shows what the crew found and what the plumber repaired, and it is the record an insurer will ask for.
- The location of the wet area and the split
- The readings at each height in the wall
- The nearest shut-off and its condition
- Other lines near the split that look stressed
- The date of the repair and the plumber's name
Drying the cavity in a Wisconsin winter
A cold cavity dries slowly, so the readings are taken more often and the plan allows for a longer drying period.
Cold air holds less moisture, and a cavity in a cold exterior wall dries more slowly than one in a heated room. The crew sets the equipment for the room, records the readings on each visit and expects a longer drying period where the room is cold.
A slow reading is explained in the scope, and the crew checks the air and the insulation for the cause before it changes the plan.
- Record temperature on each visit
- Set equipment for the room and the material
- Expect a longer period in a cold room
- Check insulation as a possible cause of a slow reading
- Explain each slow reading in the scope
Preventing the next split
Keeping lines warm and sealing the wall openings are the main steps, and a plumber can advise on both.
A split line is most likely in a wall that is cold, poorly sealed or exposed to wind. A plumber can advise on pipe insulation, on heat tape where it is appropriate, and on sealing the openings through the wall. The crew does not give that advice, but its record shows which wall was exposed.
A homeowner can also keep a small heat source running in an unused room during a hard cold snap, if the house is left unheated for any time.
- Insulate exposed pipes on outside walls
- Seal openings where the line passes through the wall
- Ask a plumber about heat tape for exposed runs
- Keep the house heated during a hard cold snap
- Note the wall that split for the next season
Keeping the house warm enough during the repair
The house is kept warm while the line is repaired and the cavity dries, so the work is not undone by cold.
A repair in a cold house takes longer and risks a second split, because the line and the cavity can freeze again before the work is finished. The homeowner should keep the house at a steady temperature during the repair and the drying, and should not turn the heat down in the affected room.
The crew records the temperature on each visit, and it notes any room that falls below the level the plan needs.
- Keep the house at a steady temperature
- Do not turn down heat in the affected room
- Record the temperature on each visit
- Note any room below the level the plan needs
- Ask the plumber about heat tape for exposed runs
