Common Plumbing Problems in Hilton Head Island and Why

Plumbing fails for local reasons, and Hilton Head Island has its own set: a barrier island at sea level, salt in the air, groundwater close to the surface, water whose hardness changes from one neighbourhood to the next, thousands of villas and second homes that sit empty between visits, and a hurricane season. Our team put this guide together so you know what to watch for and why. If you see one of these problems in your home, call (843) 547-5621 today for a quote.

Soil and slab leaks

The island is sand, and the water table is high. Where a home sits on a concrete slab, the supply lines often run beneath it, and when old copper pits through or a joint fails, the sand drains the water away quietly. Nothing shows on the floor for weeks; the water bill and the meter show it first. Hilton Head PSD is clear that leaks on the customer's side of the meter are the owner's to find and repair. Check the meter's leak indicator with every tap off. Our team is fully committed to reliable slab leak repair in Hilton Head Island.

Water hardness and scale

There is no single answer to whether island water is hard. Hilton Head PSD publishes hardness by zone: about 1 grain per gallon, soft, around Squire Pope, Gumtree, Port Royal Plantation and Folly Field; 1 to 4 grains in Indigo Run; and about 7.5 grains, moderately hard to hard, around Spanish Wells and Jonesville. Hilton Head Plantation and Palmetto Hall are mostly soft but turn harder in mid-to-late summer. South Island PSD, serving Sea Pines, Shipyard, Wexford and Long Cove, reports moderately hard water of 70 to 120 parts per million. Where water is harder, flush the water heater and clean aerators. We will ensure that your water heater maintenance in Hilton Head Island is handled by professionals.

Older neighbourhoods and old drain lines

Sea Pines was begun in 1956, and the median Hilton Head Island home was built in 1987. That puts a large share of the island's villas and plantation homes at thirty-five years old or more, with original drain lines, original shut-off valves and, in many houses built from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, polybutylene supply pipe that is known for sudden failures. Add live oak and pine roots and settled sand, and repeat clogs often turn out to be a damaged line. A camera inspection settles the question. Our team is focused on high-quality drain cleaning across Hilton Head Island.

Weather and burst pipes

Island winters are mild, with average winter lows in the low 40s, so pipes are not always insulated the way they are further north. That is exactly why the rare hard freeze does damage. On 3 January 2018 a winter storm left about 4.5 inches of snow on Hilton Head Island, and cold air held on for days afterward. Hose bibs, outdoor showers, irrigation backflow preventers and pipes under raised houses are the first to split. When you need burst pipe repair in Hilton Head Island, our team is ready to help.

Local corrosion factors

Salt air is the island's slow plumbing problem. It attacks anything metal that is exposed: hose bibs, outdoor shower valves, water heater fittings in open garages and under raised homes, gas regulators and strapping. The humid climate keeps those surfaces damp, which speeds it up. Look for green or white crust on copper and brass and rust on steel nipples and tank jackets, and replace corroded fittings before they fail. We are committed to making plumbing repair in Hilton Head Island simple and reliable.

Storm season and flooding

Hurricane Matthew passed in October 2016 with gusts up to 87 mph on Hilton Head and a storm surge that pushed well inland in Sea Pines. Hilton Head PSD repaired 20 broken water mains and scores of broken private water service lines afterward. Before a storm, the district advises shutting the home's water off at the main valve and turning off the water heater. The Town's flood rules also require new homes and the equipment that serves them to be raised above the flood elevation. Our team is fully committed to reliable emergency plumbing in Hilton Head Island.

Fix it yourself or call a plumber?

Reasonable to do yourself: plunging a single toilet, cleaning a faucet aerator, replacing a toilet flapper, resetting a jammed disposal with its key, and shutting off the water. Worth a plumber: anything behind a wall or under a slab, a water heater, a gas line, a main-line backup, repeat clogs, and any work that needs a Town permit. Skip chemical drain cleaners; they damage pipes and rarely clear the real blockage. We will ensure that your plumbing repair in Hilton Head Island is completed properly.

Signs to act on today

• The meter moves with every tap off
• A warm or damp spot on the floor
• Sewage or grey water coming up in a tub or shower
• Water around the base of the water heater
• A sudden drop in pressure through the whole house
• Any smell of gas: leave and call your gas supplier or 911 first

For a home that sits empty, ask a neighbour or manager to check it, and shut the water off between visits. Call (843) 547-5621 when any of these appear. More help: how to find your water shut-off.