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brittanymyt's avatar
brittanymyt
Explorer
Jan 16, 2017

Repair Cost - Burst Water Pipe

I tried to find the answer all over the forums, but am having no luck.

We are full timing in Chapel Hill, NC, and were out of town during the crazy freeze and snow storm last week. We left the heat running and my dad popped in a few times to make sure it was warm, but we still got back to a burst pipe.

I turned on the water and the pressure was low, and then I heard water dripping. Went out side and I could see water dripping out from the metal under belly by my leveling jacks and rear tires.

Went to the driver side bay where my outdoor shower is and I can see one spot that definitely looks like the culprit (the plywood subfloor that it's mounted to is the only wet wood).

We're from Colorado and know very little about effectively de-humidifying that area. There is some sitting water in the under belly and definitely at least one crack.

We're handy but don't have time/money to attempt a fix on our own and risk messing it up even worse. Our regular RV guy is in Colorado and can't help us out, so I was wondering what expected repair costs are going to be?

I called the local park and got two recommendations from them, I've left voicemails/texts for both.

Any experience with the costs associated with these repairs, the process, or even recommendations on somebody in the Chapel Hill area would be much appreciated!
  • Save yourself some money and at least climb under the trailer to remove the belly covering and pull out any wet insulation. If you don't know anything about plumbing, leave that for a mobile RV tech.
  • westend wrote:
    Save yourself some money and at least climb under the trailer to remove the belly covering and pull out any wet insulation. If you don't know anything about plumbing, leave that for a mobile RV tech.


    I'm a newbie to all of this. What's the best way to remove the belly covering? It looks like a massive rusty metal sheet to me. Are there certain places that screws usually are?
  • brittanymyt wrote:

    I'm a newbie to all of this. What's the best way to remove the belly covering? It looks like a massive rusty metal sheet to me. Are there certain places that screws usually are?


    Sounds like you should find a dependable repairman.
  • mobil tech will fix you up. a lot cheaper than cw and you can learn from the tech. most will let you help.
  • midnightsadie wrote:
    mobil tech will fix you up. a lot cheaper than cw and you can learn from the tech. most will let you help.


    That's what I've been hoping for. I like to learn from a pro before I start hacking at things on my own. Our guy in CO is great for this, but we never had to go over any plumbing things other than installing a new toilet (for cosmetic reasons).

    I guess my ultimate question is what's "cheaper?" Just trying to get a jist if I'm looking at $200 or $2000. It looks like a sharkbite and some water removal will do the trick, but I'm unsure.
  • midnightsadie wrote:
    mobil tech will fix you up. a lot cheaper than cw and you can learn from the tech. most will let you help.


    What's a CW?
  • brittanymyt wrote:
    midnightsadie wrote:
    mobil tech will fix you up. a lot cheaper than cw and you can learn from the tech. most will let you help.


    What's a CW?


    Camping World
  • If the plumping is Pex, I would expect the problem is a fitting, not the piping itself. Pex can handle freezing, but the fittings often cannot. Since you left the heat on inside, I would expect the culprit would have to do with the outdoor shower. If you haven't heard back from either tech yet, just remove the outdoor shower and take a look.

    There's usually a handful of screws that hold the shower on as well as the butyl tape. The butyl tape will hold the shower tight to the outside wall, so you may need to pry the outside shower's housing away from the wall. Once the shower is out, turn the water on and see if there is any leaks there. I'd bet a couple bucks you will find the problem where the water lines attached to the faucet.

    -Michael

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