Utility Concerns When Repairing a Foundation

Often homeowners are concerned with problems that might arise when there foundation is being leveled. The home utilities that are of concern are electrical, gas, water, and sewer. Prior to any work being done, the utility companies will be notified and asked to mark all utilities on the property.

Electrical

On very rare occasions, the electrical service must be disconnected.  If this is the case, the electrical company will be notified to mark its location and to disconnect the line from the house. A temporary electric pole may be set up on the property.

Gas

Gas lines run underground to a foundation and then rise above ground to be connected to the meter. Often, when repairing a slab foundation, the gas line must be disconnected at the meter. The gas company will be notified that disconnect is needed and that the underground line needs to marked. It is sometimes unnecessary to disconnect the gas line when Leveling pier & beam homes, often lines run under the home in the crawlspace and are not affixed to the structure itself.

Waterlines

As in the case of gas lines, waterlines are run underground to the foundation of the house. In slab foundations, waterlines rise into the slab where they branch out throughout the house. It is important to note that the waterline does not have a disconnect at the slab, it is not always possible to locate and disconnect the interior and exterior water lines. Often when leveling a home this line can be broken, bent, and pinched. To determine if the line has been damaged, a plumber can perform a simple water pressure test on the faucets. Damage to waterlines is often unavoidable, in the event that the waterline has been damaged, the repairs are the homeowners responsibility. Waterline damage is rare when leveling a pier & beam foundation, often water lines run under the home in the crawlspace and are not affixed to the structure itself.

Sewer Line

Sewer line is the utility most often damaged when leveling both slab and pier and beam homes. Sewer lines can be made of clay, iron, plastic, or orangeburg, all of which are very rigid in nature and when a foundation contractor levels a foundation, it may causes a line separation or break. In the case of pier and beam homes, it is possible to disconnect the sewer line in the crawlspace. In the case of slab foundations, preparation, avoidance, and repairs are very difficult and repairs are sometimes costly. It is important to note that sewer lines do not have a disconnect at the slab, it is not possible to disconnect the interior and exterior sewer lines. Often when leveling a home, the sewer line can be broken. To determine if the line has been damaged, a simple hydro static test can be done. A plumber performs a hydro static test by simply plugging the sewer line in the yard between the house and the street and then fills it with water to determine a leak. If the water level in the sewer line does not drop over a period of time (30min - 60min), the line has not been damaged. However, if the water in the sewer line drops during this test, there is most likely a leak.  In the event that the sewer line has been damaged, the repairs are the homeowners responsibility.