If a pipe bursts in your Pittsboro home, turn off the main water valve and switch off power near any standing water. A plumber can repair the break, whether it's PEX in an attic or an older copper line, and check the system before the water goes back on. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Pittsboro.
My house is fairly new. Why did a pipe burst?
Pittsboro's housing is young by Triangle standards. The median home was built in 2002, only about 11% predate 1980, and the large Chatham Park development keeps adding more. Newer plumbing is usually PEX or CPVC, which handles a freeze better than old steel, but it is not freeze-proof. The usual culprits in newer houses are lines run through an attic or unheated garage, a pipe pressed against an exterior wall behind insulation that settled, a kitchen or laundry line on an outside wall, and the supply to a hose bibb or irrigation system. A failed fitting or a burst washing machine hose can flood a room just as fast as a split pipe.
Who do I call about a leak at the meter?
That depends on where you live. Inside town, water and sewer have been run by TriRiver Water, Sanford's regional utility, since it took over the Town of Pittsboro's system on July 1, 2024. Three subdivisions outside town limits, Chapel Ridge, Laurel Ridge and The Parks at Meadowview, are billed and serviced by Aqua, a private company, under a 2002 contract with the town. Out in the county, some homes are on county lines and others on private wells. If water is coming up at the meter box or in the street, call whichever utility sends your bill before hiring a plumber. A leak between the meter and the house, or anywhere inside, is a job for your plumber.
Will the repair need a permit?
A short splice often doesn't, but larger work can, such as replacing a long run of pipe or the yard line. Chatham County Central Permitting & Inspections handles building permits and plumbing inspections for the Town of Pittsboro as well as unincorporated Chatham County. The plumber can tell you whether your job needs one and take care of the paperwork.
A Pittsboro note on gas
If your water heater runs on natural gas, the provider in Chatham County is Enbridge Gas North Carolina, formerly PSNC, though service varies by street and some homes use propane. After a burst, turn the gas water heater to pilot or off once the main is closed. If you smell gas at any point, get everyone outside and call 911 or Enbridge's emergency line at 1-877-776-2427 from a safe distance.
Burst Pipe Repair questions in Pittsboro
How do I know if it's the utility's main and not my own plumbing?
How is a hidden pipe break located?
How do I protect outdoor spigots before the next freeze?
What should I do with the plumbing before leaving town in winter?
More plumbing services in Pittsboro
Burst Pipe Repair nearby
Helpful guides
Sources
Last updated: