If a pipe has burst in your Tucker home, close the main water valve and stay clear of wet electrical. A plumber can replace the damaged pipe and check its neighbors. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Tucker.
Tucker's housing, water and permits
Much of Tucker is 1960s and 1970s ranch and split-level homes around the historic Main Street, and about 48% of units predate 1980. Houses of that era often have crawl spaces or basements with exposed supply lines and pipe that has been patched over the years, which is where a freeze tends to strike.
DeKalb County Watershed Management provides water and sewer and owns the line from the main through the meter, typically in a pit outside. The owner is responsible from the meter to the house, and DeKalb's 24-hour emergency repair line is 770-270-6243. The City of Tucker requires a permit to replace a water line, as well as for water heater and sewer line replacements, through its permit portal or by email to the permits office. A plumber can stop an active leak first and then handle the paperwork for any larger replacement.
Patch, replace or reroute
| What the plumber finds | Usual fix |
|---|---|
| A freeze split in otherwise sound pipe | Section repair |
| Galvanized pipe rusting near the break | Replace back to sound pipe |
| An exposed basement or crawl-space run that keeps freezing | Repair and insulate |
| Leak on the yard line past the meter pit | Excavate; a permit is required to replace it |
| Several weak runs in an older house | Consider repiping |
How a broken line shows itself
- Taps that sputter or barely run after a hard freeze
- Standing water near the meter box on your side of the meter
- Hissing or rushing sounds inside a wall when the house is quiet
- Ceiling drywall that sags, bubbles or turns soft
- A visible split in a pipe with water pushing out of it
- A musty smell in a closet, cabinet or crawl space that wasn't there before
- Wet insulation or a pool of water in the crawl space
When bursts happen here
Georgia cold snaps are often short, which is part of the problem: many homes have pipes in crawl spaces, attics and outside walls that were never protected for a hard freeze. The night of a deep freeze is when lines split, and the following afternoon is when the water shows up.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Tucker
Does a burst pipe repair need a permit?
Does one burst pipe mean an older house needs repiping?
A pipe just burst. What do I turn off first?
Should I drip faucets when a hard freeze is forecast?
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