A boil-water notice and a pressure loss are two separate problems that often arrive together. The January 2024 winter storm brought a citywide pressure drop and a notice to more than 600,000 people in the Memphis area. This guide sets out how lines fail when pressure changes, how the refill should be handled and what to record.
Key takeaways
- The January 2024 notice reached more than 600,000 people in the Memphis area, according to a news-agency report
- A pressure drop and a restoration can loosen fittings that held under steady pressure
- Follow any boil notice from the utility until it is lifted, and keep a copy with the file
- Open taps slowly after a refill, one at a time, and let each run to clear air and debris
- Record the time of each notice, the time the taps were opened and any leak found afterward
- A plumber should test the lines and the water heater before the house returns to normal use
What happens to the lines when pressure drops?
When pressure falls across a system, the water in a house line can slow, and air and sediment can move through the pipes. A freeze can also have split a line that holds until the water is restored.
A pressure drop does not usually break a sound line, but it can reveal a line that was already weak. A joint that was tight under steady pressure can leak when the pressure changes, and a fitting that was dry for years can start to weep.
Air and debris carried into a line during a refill can lodge in a valve or a fitting and cause leaks at the fixtures. The leak often appears once the house has been used for an hour or two.
How should the lines be refilled?
Refill slowly and one fixture at a time, with each tap run for a few minutes to clear air and debris. Keep the taps closed until the utility confirms the water is safe, if a notice is in place.
Opening every tap at once can send a surge through the lines and strain the fittings. A slower refill with one tap at a time lets the air leave the pipe and reduces the chance of a surge.
Once the notice is lifted, use the water for drinking and cooking only after the utility says it is safe, and keep the notice with the record.
What should a homeowner record during a notice?
The time of each notice, the time the taps were opened, the fixtures used first and any leak or odd sound found afterward. Those times are the first facts in any later claim.
Write the times in a dated note, not in memory. A notice issued at one hour and lifted at another is a fact the claim may depend on, and a note made at the time is far more useful than a later recollection.
Photograph any leak or stain as soon as it is seen, with the time, and keep the photograph with the note.
Which checks should a plumber make after a refill?
A plumber should check the fittings at the water heater and the valves, test the relief valve, check the pressure at the house and confirm the lines are holding before the house returns to normal use.
A pressure test at the house tells the plumber whether the pressure is too high after a surge. A pressure-reducing valve may be advised where the pressure runs high, and the plumber sizes and fits it.
Ask the plumber to note the condition of each checked item on the invoice. That note supports the claim and the next repair.
What if a leak appears days after the notice was lifted?
Shut the water off at the main, record the time and the place, and call. A leak that appears days later is still part of the same event if the record shows the link, so the notice and the refill should be on file.
A fitting that loosened during the refill can drip slowly for days before the wet spot is noticed. The record of the refill and the notice shows why the leak is connected to the event.
Keep the plumber's invoice and the restoration record together, and tell the insurer in writing when the leak was found.
What to do with water for drinking and cooking during a notice
Use bottled or otherwise approved water for drinking, cooking and brushing teeth until the utility says the water is safe. Keep the notice itself, because it sets the dates the claim may depend on.
A notice can last for several days, and the household needs a clear supply of safe water. Store bottled water in a cool, dry place away from the wet room, and label any container that is refilled from the tap.
Ask the utility for written confirmation when the notice is lifted, and keep that confirmation with the other records. The end date is as important as the start.
How the repair and the drying fit together after a notice
The plumber repairs and tests the lines, and the restoration crew dries the water that came out of them. The two jobs should be sequenced so the drying is not undone by a repair opened later.
Ask the plumber to test each repaired line at full pressure before the wall is closed, and to note the test on the invoice. The restoration crew then confirms the readings before the repair trade closes the finish.
Keep the plumber's invoice, the test note and the restoration log in one file. Together they show what was repaired, what was tested and what was dried.
When a repair should be delayed, and when it should not
A repair that touches the line should wait for the water to be safe to use and the line to be tested. A leak that is actively wetting the structure should not wait, and the water should be shut off at the main until the repair is made.
The plumber will decide when a line can be opened and when it must be left closed, and the homeowner should ask. A line open to a notice may need to be flushed before it is used, and the notice dictates the steps.
If water is still coming from a fitting, do not wait for the notice to be lifted. Shut the water off, record the time and call. Safety and the structure come before the paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
Does a boil notice mean the house must be dried differently?
The drying is the same, but the crew needs to know about the notice, because the water used for cleaning should be handled as the notice directs.
How long should taps run after a refill?
A few minutes each, one at a time, until the water runs clear. Follow the utility's instructions for the notice, which take priority.
Who pays for a leak caused by a pressure change?
That depends on the policy and the cause. Ask the insurer in writing how it classifies the loss, and keep the notices and the invoice with the file.
Should I replace the fittings after an event?
A plumber can check them and recommend replacement where a fitting is worn or has moved. The check should be recorded on the invoice.
Can I use the water heater during a notice?
Follow the utility's notice. Hot water and cold water are both covered by it, and the heater should be checked before it runs at full pressure.
Is a record of the notice needed for the claim?
It helps. The notice, the times and the first readings show what was known and when, and they are useful evidence for the insurer.
Can I use the tap water for cleaning during a notice?
Follow the utility notice exactly. Some notices allow cleaning with tap water but not drinking; others do not. Keep the notice and ask the utility if it is unclear.
Should I run the taps for a set time each day?
Only if the utility or the plumber advises it. Running taps without a reason wastes water and does not replace a repair.
What if the notice is lifted but the water looks cloudy?
Let the tap run until it is clear, and note the time. Cloudy water after a refill is usually air and sediment, but report it to the utility if it persists.
Does this guide replace the advice of a licensed professional?
No. It sets out the general pattern and the questions to ask. The licensed trade or the attending company gives the advice for a specific house.
Who should I call first?
Call the 24/7 line if water is still coming in. For a recorded question about the work, ask the company that attends in writing.
Sources
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, mold and moisture guidance
- Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance
- National Weather Service, Memphis office
This guide is general information for Shelby County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.