Think You Might’ve Sprung a Leak? It Can Be Tricky to Find The Leaking Pipe
Leaking pipes can baffle the most experienced of plumbers when trying to locate where the escape of liquid has occurred. This post outlines the best tips on how to find leaking pipes when they’re concealed underground or in between walls.
How to find a leaking water pipe
The first signs of a leaking water pipe can be:
- Higher than usual water bill
- Unusual green patch in the lawn
- Wood rot in skirting or mould in plasterboard
- Water stains on ceiling or wall
- Worst case – internal flood in your home
When your water meter is ticking over and no one is using the facilities in the home, this can indicate a water leak. To remedy the problem, checking all the water connections inside your home is the best place to start.
A leaking water pipe outside in the garden might be easy to spot – with a large spongy area of wet ground and a stream of water. However, if it’s a water leak concealed under the floor, in the wall, or underground, it’s best to ring a leak detection service. This service can use infrared technology to determine where the leak is. The exact location can help the plumber identify where to dig or cut out holes in the walls or floor to fix the water leak.
How to find a leaking sewer pipe
A leaking sewer pipe can be harder to locate as they are generally underground. Often a crack in the pipe and penetrations by tree roots can cause leaks in the sewer pipe.
Locating where a sewer pipe runs underground in your yard can be found on your drainage plan. But not every property owner has a drainage plan they can easily access. Also, the plan may not be up-to-date. The best way to locate a sewerage pipe is to use a utility specialist who can scan the location, depth, and direction of a utility in the yard.
A drainage camera can also be put down your sewer line to locate a crack in the pipe causing the leak.
How to find a leaking stormwater pipe
A broken stormwater pipe is not as common as a leaking water pipe or sewer pipe.
If you can see a distinguishable green patch in your backyard or notice the grass is saturated in one area, this can indicate a broken stormwater pipe.
The same process of locating a broken sewer pipe can also be used to locate where a broken stormwater pipe is.
It’s beneficial to you as a property owner to use a utility location service to outline all the utility and pipe lines in your yard.
This can be helpful when planning an extension or putting in a pool. It can avoid a costly call out if the excavation rips up a pipe you weren’t aware was in the area in the first place.
Knowing where the pipes run can assist in tracing where a leak may occur. It can be a costly exercise to pay a plumber by the hour to locate a leaking pipe, but a drain camera or above ground scanner can reduce the exploration time. Once a leak location is found, this can make the problem easier to fix for your plumber.
