# Need some help w/ a broken pipe



## BuiltByMAC (Mar 11, 2006)

At the risk of getting shredded, I've got a problem I need to run by you guys. Was wandering around the house, getting ready to pull lights down and I hear water running. Look around and I've got a stream coming out from under my siding. Pull the siding up, cut a hole in the drywall and I find a grey plastic pipe, 'bout 2" in diameter that was set in the wet concrete stemwall. It's located within an inch of the outer edge of the concrete and had taken a hit from one of the siding nails. The nail hadn't completely punctured the pipe but I think the deep freeze we had here last week caused freezing and the pipe to split at that weakened spot.

I turned off water at the street, drained house pressure and the pipe continues to drain. My boy had just taken a shower so I'm assuming it's a drain line, not a supply line. It's not a high pressured spray which I would think a supply line crack would have.

Trying to keep from cutting the siding, my initial thought is wait for all water to drain out, use sawzall to cut away at base plate and stud to expose more area around pipe, dry off pipe then seal the crack.

My questions:
What would be the best way to seal that pipe? (crack goes down to concrete)
Why was it set in the wet concrete?
Is it indeed, a drain line? (It's located on the outer wall of my third car garage, not close to any supply lines. Water heater's 20' away, washer/dryer are on opposite side of garage, no sinks, tubs toilets are located above line)

Thanks for taking a look at this - 

Mac


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## BuiltByMAC (Mar 11, 2006)

Some closeups from outside -


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

That appears to be electrical conduit, probably the main feed for that panel next to it. Does your power come in overhead or underground?


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

I have never seen grey pipe before, I am also no plumber either:laughing: I would think you would need to dig into that concrete down until the pipe is not split cut out the bad piece and install a new one with a coupling and a fernco. I'm sure the real plumbers will be around shortly though.


Dave


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

mudpad said:


> That appears to be electrical conduit, probably the main feed for that panel next to it. Does your power come in overhead or underground?


Thats what I was gonna say, I thought maybe they made grey pvc that I was unaware of!


Dave


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

The only gray PVC I have ever seen is electrical conduit. Don't cut that pipe!


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

Good call! mudpad , yup I wouldn't cut the pipe!



I once heard of a conduit being split in a guys front yard and water getting inside and dripping out at the house. 



Dave


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Take the rest of the dry wall down to the left of the panel, I think that is your feed for your service. 

Buried service?


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Careful Mac,
Due to the proximity to the SP, it's probably your feeders. Pull down a little drywall to the left of the panel and see if the grey PVC enters the panel.

DONT CUT THE PIPE


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## DarrenB (Aug 30, 2009)

STOPPPPPPPPP..............Don't cut that pipe!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is not a water supply. Looks like your service feed for your electrical might be in there.


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## SLSTech (Sep 13, 2008)

I agree - that's probably electric & the amount of water on the inside pics does not match up with what's showing on the outside or at the sill plate on the inside.

Snow melt running inside maybe - is there a downspout nearby? Problem with an ice dam?


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## BuiltByMAC (Mar 11, 2006)

OK, guess I'm gonna hafta move this thread from plumbing into electrical...

Pulled more drywall off - that conduit goes directly to the electrical meter, which means the water has to be bubbling up from below the concrete somewhere.

Any thoughts from this point? Call the elec. co? the water co? Is this now something an electrician can deal with? Flowing water in my electrical conduit makes me VERY nervous...

Thanks for your input, guys!

Mac


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## mudpad (Dec 26, 2008)

Around here, if it's on the street side of the meter (primary), it's the power companys problem.


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Mac, get a sparky out there. He'll probably pull your meter and then investigate the source of the water. I doubt the poco will do anything about it.


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## dkillianjr (Aug 28, 2006)

rselectric1 said:


> Mac, get a sparky out there. He'll probably pull your meter and then investigate the source of the water. I doubt the poco will do anything about it.


Yup thats what I would do. Around here the power company wouldn't do anything either. 

edit: I just reread your post If it just split in the recent freeze, who knows how long that water has been laying in there!




Dave


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## oldfrt (Oct 10, 2007)

Looks like who ever put that nail into this conduit did you a favor.
If that baby didn't start draining,chances are the water would have made it into the SP.


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## bconley (Mar 8, 2009)

Check around your meter base where the conduit goes into the panel its probable not caulked and leaking into the meter and or panel box.

That or you have water backing up the conduit from below check for standing water and grading away from the house.


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## bconley (Mar 8, 2009)

Sorry, but it should be obvious that that is electrical conduit

And I would check that nail before touching it


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## BuiltByMAC (Mar 11, 2006)

bconley said:


> Check around your meter base where the conduit goes into the panel its probable not caulked and leaking into the meter and or panel box.
> 
> That or you have water backing up the conduit from below check for standing water and grading away from the house.


No water is present above the split conduit - that's why I made the assumption that it was subterranean. 



bconley said:


> Sorry, but it should be obvious that that is electrical conduit


Guess I should've expected someone would be along to call me an idiot. 
It would only be obvious what kind of conduit it is to someone familiar w/ the different kinds of conduit. 
Me? I just build decks...

I'll give my sparky and the power co. a call on Mon, I'll update this thread after he's taken a look.

Mac


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## bconley (Mar 8, 2009)

Mac sorry I wasn't calling you an idiot just with it being right under the panel and all, I guess I take some things for granted.

Good luck, let us know what it turns out to be:thumbsup:


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## woodchuck2 (Feb 27, 2008)

You may want to check the wire inside if at all possible to be sure the wire was not compromised. With water/moisture present you may find a corrosion problem down the road. You may be able to use a mirror and a flashlight to inspect the wire through the hole/crack on the backside.


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## pudge565 (Jan 26, 2008)

480sparky said:


> Yes. And he has 200 amps of water pressure. :laughing:


No No No 480, you have it all wrong he has 240 VOLTS of water pressure. Everyone knows voltage is like water pressure, it pushes the amps through the wire :whistling:clap:.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

pudge565 said:


> No No No 480, you have it all wrong he has 240 VOLTS of water pressure. Everyone knows voltage is like water pressure, it pushes the amps through the wire :whistling:clap:.


Jezz, thanks a lot. Now I gotta go back and redo my entire service calculation.

Now, do I use 180 psi per square foot? :shifty:


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Mac, Any update or news?


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## CookeCarpentry (Feb 26, 2009)

Well, MAC, at least your service panel feed is clean. 

:laughing:


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## BuiltByMAC (Mar 11, 2006)

It stopped draining water by Sunday morning...hasn't leaked water since. I talked w/ another contractor today and he said elec. should be in conduit here all the way back to the city box (for code).
More than likely, that underground conduit has cracked over time and someone's pipe (uphill of me) broke last week (during the freeze), flooding the groundwater. I didn't get a call back yet from the power co., I'll follow up w/ them tomorrow.

Again, I appreciate the replies and thoughts you guys had about this problem.

Mac


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

We're here when you need us!


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

Around here the power company does three things; run cable from meter to transformer, install meter in meter box, and energize transformer, everything else an electrician does. An electrician works on the power meter box and the conduit going to the meter. So you may need both an electrician and the power company to come out and work on it.


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## jimmys (May 1, 2009)

*meter cab*

Anyone check the meter cabinet for water, or signs of water? Even with underground service, you may have a leak in the cab. Higher water table with a cracked or separated conduit might push water up 5', but less likely than a leak, methinks.
Jim


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