Placing Your Water Main

Get tips on placing your water main. Learn where your water main should go if you live in a ranch or single floor home.

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LESLIE: Walter in North Carolina is having a plumbing issue. Tell us about the problem.

WALTER: I have one faucet; a mystery faucet that has a hissing noise on the hot water side every time I turn it on.

TOM: Hmm.

WALTER: Now let me explain. We did have a water main break last Sunday, but it did it two weeks before that and then now it’s still doing it.

TOM: So you have a hissing sound when you open up the hot water; so it’s like it has air in the line? And this …

WALTER: Yes, and then sometimes after that, too.

TOM: Well, invariably, with a hot water line there’s always more off-gassing of oxygen as it leaves the water. The water heater does a good job of baking that out, so to speak. One of the things that you can install that actually softens some of that is water hammer arrestors, which will also capture the air.

WALTER: Where would I put that? Right before …?

TOM: The water hammer arrestor goes, usually, along the main supply pipe. What kind of house is this? Is it a ranch or a two-story colonial or what?

WALTER: It’s a ranch.

TOM: Alright. So, generally, the lines come in with a ranch; they come in at the main and they’re going to go parallel with the main beam of the house, down the line of the house and then tap off to the bathrooms. Usually you’ll put it at the end of the line.

WALTER: Very good. Appreciate it. I listen to your show every Sunday.

TOM: Well, fantastic. I’m glad that we’re able to help you out.

WALTER: Thank you again.

TOM: Thanks so much for calling us at 1-888-MONEY-PIT.