Water main line and pressure regulator repair in Ventura

We repair and replace the water service line between your Ventura Water meter and the house. We also install and replace pressure-reducing valves and thermal expansion tanks.

Who owns the water line?

Ventura Water maintains the main in the street and the meter. The service line from the meter to the house is normally the property owner's responsibility. If the leak is at the meter or on the street side, call Ventura Water's after-hours emergency line at (805) 650-8010; anything on the house side is a job for a plumber.

Signs of a water main line problem

• A wet or soggy strip of yard between the meter and the house in dry weather.
• The meter dial moving with every tap and appliance off.
• A sudden drop in water pressure throughout the house.
• Water bubbling up near the meter box or a walkway.
• Dirty or rusty water after a pressure drop, common with old galvanized service lines.

Water line repair and replacement

A single leak in a sound line gets a spot repair. An old galvanized or repeatedly leaking copper service line is better replaced from the meter to the house. We trench or, where conditions allow, pull new pipe through with minimal digging, then connect to a new main shutoff valve at the house. See leak detection for locating buried leaks.

Pressure-reducing valves (PRVs)

A pressure-reducing valve lowers the water pressure coming from the street to a safe level for the home. The California Plumbing Code calls for a pressure regulator when street pressure exceeds 80 psi. Pressure that's too high strains supply lines, valves, water heaters and appliance hoses, and makes faucets bang.

Signs of a failing PRV

• Pressure that suddenly rises or falls throughout the house.
• Banging pipes (water hammer) when a valve closes.
• A dripping T&P valve on the water heater, or running toilets refilling on their own.
• A humming or chattering sound from the regulator.

Most residential PRVs last about 10 to 15 years. We test your pressure with a gauge at a hose bib, then adjust, repair or replace the regulator.

Thermal expansion tanks

A PRV turns the home's plumbing into a closed system. When the water heater heats water, it expands with nowhere to go, and pressure spikes. A thermal expansion tank on the water heater absorbs that expansion, and the plumbing code requires thermal expansion control in a closed system. We size and install expansion tanks and check their air charge.

How we diagnose water pressure problems

1. Measure static pressure at a hose bib with a gauge.
2. Watch it overnight with a maximum-reading gauge if the problem comes and goes.
3. Check the PRV, expansion tank and main shutoff.
4. Check individual fixtures if only one area has low pressure; that usually points to a clogged aerator, a failed valve or corroded pipe.

How pricing works

Every job is different, so the cost depends on the type of work and what the job requires. We look at the problem first, explain your options, and confirm the price with you before any work starts.

Water line and pressure questions