A pipe leak within your home can typically be identified by water pools on the floor, dripping from the ceiling, or damp walls. Finding a pipe leak in your underground can be a different story. Because they are sometimes buried far below the surface, behind roads, or in other challenging locations, underground pipe leaks are challenging to locate.
Why Do Underground Water Leaks Occur?
Water or soil chemical erosion can cause water pipes to break. Water leaks via cracks and holes into the earth, slab, or structure. Earthquakes and other natural disasters can strain water pipes or break them. Water could move soil away from your slab. Structural or physiological issues could make your home unsafe.
Identifying The Location Of A Leak
When an underground water supply pipe ruptures or leaks along its length or where it joins other fittings, such as elbows, it causes an underground pipe leak. Invading roots, changing ground, frozen or corroded pipes, and shifting soil can cause leaks and breaks.
- Water meter location. Most residential water meters are at a house’s curb. They are usually buried in a box with a ground-level lid. Concrete containers and lids are weighty. Insert a hook or large screwdriver into a slot on the cover and remove it from the box. The box contains the water meter and main valve, which may be buried. Clean the meter and valve with work gloves.
- Every water-using faucet, fixture, and appliance should be turned off. The ice maker’s bail wire can be raised to turn it off. The main shutoff valve by the water meter should NOT be closed.
- Take note of the water meter’s dials. Some water meters contain a little dial intended to be a leak detector, as seen in the illustration below. Water is flowing through the meter if this is moving. Mark the location of the needle with a grease pencil if your meter lacks this feature (if there are several dials, mark the one that indicates 1-cubic-foot increments).
- After 30 minutes, turn off the water and check to see if the needle has strayed from the mark. Your plumbing is leaking someplace if it has.
- You can look for leak symptoms like sinkholes or soggy patches of ground, but you might need a pro to detect it. See down for more information.
What To Anticipate From Leak Detection Experts
When you suspect an underground leak, you need a reputable leak detection company to pinpoint the area with specialized tools. Point them in that direction if you know where the issue pipe is. The time it takes to determine the scope of the issue and the most effective solution can be cut down. The experts utilize infrared cameras, acoustic equipment, and other leak-detecting gear to find out what’s happening without breaching the slab’s concrete.
Time wasted detecting underground water leaks wastes water and money. Scott’s Plumbing can locate water leaks. We can swiftly identify and repair your underground leak. Let our experts find and fix the leak to normalize your water bill and household. Contact us now!