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A worn yellow shut-off valve

Outside & service lines

Water Service Line Replacement in Burlington

The buried pipe between the municipal shut-off and your meter is the start of every drop of water in your home. When it leaks or is made of the wrong material, replacing it fixes the problem at its source.

  • Frost-free hose bibs
  • Buried lines traced first
  • Backflow devices tested
  • Insulated where it freezes
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Signs it is time for water service line replacement

Signs include weak pressure throughout the house that no fixture repair cures, a wet spot on the lawn between the street and the foundation, a water bill that climbs with no visible leak, or a service pipe that turns out to be lead or old galvanized steel. Buyers of older homes sometimes learn about the line at inspection, as discussed in our guide to buying an older home.

What's included

  • Frost-free sillcocks and shut-off valves
  • Excavation for buried lines
  • Backflow test kit
  • Heat gun and pipe insulation

Our method on site

  1. Identify the existing material where the pipe enters the basement, and confirm the location of the curb stop near the property line.
  2. Call for utility locates and coordinate with Halton Region, which manages the municipal water system in Burlington and the service up to the property line.
  3. Install the new line, typically copper or approved plastic tubing, by trench or by trenchless boring where the yard and soil allow.
  4. seal where the pipe passes through the wall, and tie back in at the meter with a fresh main valve, and flush the line.
  5. Restore the surface: sod, interlock or driveway as agreed.

Throughout the job we keep you informed about when the water will be shut off, and we leave the old meter connection tidy and labelled so the next person who opens the basement wall knows exactly what they are looking at.

Tell-tale signs

  • A hose bib that drips or split over winter
  • Low pressure at every tap in the house
  • Wet ground over the water service in the yard
  • A backflow test notice from the municipality

What affects the scope

Length and route matter first: a long front yard, a driveway or mature trees along the path all change the method. Trenchless boring disturbs far less of the lawn but needs space for entry and exit pits. Frost depth in this region means the pipe must be buried deeply enough to stay below winter freezing. If the public portion is also lead or failing, timing with the Region makes the whole connection consistent.

Lead service lines: a house dating from before about 1955 could still be fed by a lead pipe from the street. If you are unsure, our guide on lead water service explains how to check.

Job at a glance

Work
Water Service Line Replacement
Trade
Outside & service lines
Where
Burlington and nearby
Book
(365) 464-5184

Burlington homes and this job

The oldest blocks around downtown, Maple and parts of Aldershot are where lead and early galvanized services turn up most often. Many 1950s and 1960s homes have copper lines that are still serviceable, though some have thinned. North of the Escarpment, rural properties in Kilbride or Lowville often draw from wells rather than municipal mains, so the work there involves the line from the well instead.

Higher pressure after replacement is common, and a pressure reducing valve may be added to keep fixtures from being overstressed. If pressure is your main concern, the page on water pressure problems explains other causes worth ruling out first.

Questions to ask

  • What is my current service made of?
  • Is trenchless boring possible on my lot?
  • Which portion belongs to the Region?
  • Will the new main valve be easy to reach in an emergency?

How the visit runs

  1. 1

    Shut off and drain the line in question.

  2. 2

    Open the wall or ground to reach the pipe.

  3. 3

    Replace or repair with the right fitting for buried or exterior use.

  4. 4

    Restore water, test and insulate where needed.

Questions we hear

How long will the water be off?

Usually for part of a single day while the old line is cut over to the new one. We confirm the timing before starting.

Does the whole lawn get dug up?

Not necessarily. Trenchless methods need only a pit at each end, though soil and obstacles decide whether they work.

Who owns the pipe under the sidewalk?

In Burlington the service is usually split at the property line, with Halton Region responsible for the municipal side. We confirm this for your address.

Call now(365) 464-5184