Calling plumbers in the forum lol

[fatboyroy]

I got a call from the water company and notified me about a leak (continuous use for a month they claim). I consumed over 40K gallon on the last billing cycle. I was instructed to look in my water meter and its showing 1.7GPM consumption (all faucet turned off). At first I thought my toilet flush assembly as I recently replaced one but I inspected and its not showing any leak after flushing and refill, it stops completely. No visible water in wall or floor, I put my ear in wall for each faucet and cannot hear any water drip sound. Is there any thing else I'm missing to check before I call the plumber? I currently shut my main line so I'm not wasting any water lol

 

[Beachbummer]

Try to push a thin rod into the ground where your main runs. If it suddenly goes in the ground, you leak is near.

Close the main at the house and see if that changes the flow.

That's a LOT of water. It's going somewhere.

 

[fatboyroy]

Try to push a thin rod into the ground where your main runs. If it suddenly goes in the ground, you leak is near.

Close the main at the house and see if that changes the flow.

That's a LOT of water. It's going somewhere.

So when I close the main (right before pipe go inside the house) the meter show 0 consumption, so its somewhere inside the house. Not sure how there is no wet spot anywhere.

 

[adrianp89]

My good friend bought a house a few years ago. Upon BSing in the backyard with him, I noticed a very small puddle of water. This was a red flag as it hadn't rained in days. I said lets check your meter - sure enough it was spinning like crazy. We shut off the water and dug around the puddle. Found a tree branch had punctured is main water line (old PVC). This actually happened in a few spots over time with this property.

Anyways, check your yard for any puddles or soft spots. Secondly check your walls/floors for any signs of water/mildew. If pipes run through attic - get up there and look. Check your hoses, and pretty much any water connection you can find.

 

[HangOutdoors]

So when I close the main (right before pipe go inside the house) the meter show 0 consumption, so its somewhere inside the house. Not sure how there is no wet spot anywhere.

Can you turn on the Main and the turn off shut off valves in the house if you have a basement? Or other shut off valves to help troubleshoot the location?

 

[adrianp89]

Can you turn on the Main and the turn off shut off valves in the house if you have a basement? Or other shut off valves to help troubleshoot the location?

I was just going to say shut-off all valves inside the house (toilets, faucets, ect)

Also is it original piping in the home? When was it built? Pretty common down here for the copper piping to spring a leak under the foundation.

 

[fatboyroy]

Can you turn on the Main and the turn off shut off valves in the house if you have a basement? Or other shut off valves to help troubleshoot the location?

I only see one shut off valve (main) it’s 1floor 2 bath house no basement so prolly no sectional shut off

 

[fatboyroy]

I was just going to say shut-off all valves inside the house (toilets, faucets, ect)

Also is it original piping in the home? When was it built? Pretty common down here for the copper piping to spring a leak under the foundation.

House built 1980 not sure if piping is original but very likely

 

[fatboyroy]

Found a soft wet spot in my yard, anyone have any idea how deep pipe would be before I start digging

 

[HangOutdoors]

Would be careful, if you are unable to shut the water off before the break. Could end up with a call to water services if you make it worse.

 

[fatboyroy]

Would be careful, if you are unable to shut the water off before the break. Could end up with a call to water services if you make it worse.

main is off, meter currently showing 0 comsumption so Im sure its off. I will likely call plumber anyway but if its only 3 ft deep I would like to see the leak myself

 

[adrianp89]

I would guess 3 feet or less. My friend was like a foot deep. Pretty easy fix DIY

 

[HangOutdoors]

main is off, meter currently showing 0 comsumption so Im sure its off. I will likely call plumber anyway but if its only 3 ft deep I would like to see the leak myself

In florida I doubt it would be deeper than 3'. The code indicates that it must be at least 12" deep and not less than 6" below the frost line. n Where you are at in sebastian, I would think it would be between 12"-24".

 

[fatboyroy]

I will check it tomorrow thx everyone!

 

[rkluck]

Since this is the 80's I hope it isn't the Polybutylene (blue pipe) water line issue. If it is you may have to replumb the house as well as the main going to the house.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

If possible you may want to put a valve between where the feed is from the house and the run out to the back yard.

Hope the find was easy and you got it fixed easily.

 

[adrianp89]

If possible you may want to put a valve between where the feed is from the house and the run out to the back yard.

Hope the find was easy and you got it fixed easily.

I did this in mine. I put a 1/4 turn shut off valve in the garage. Pretty much anyone can turn off the water very quickly.

 

[Coult45]

I got a call from the water company and notified me about a leak (continuous use for a month they claim). I consumed over 40K gallon on the last billing cycle. I was instructed to look in my water meter and its showing 1.7GPM consumption (all faucet turned off). At first I thought my toilet flush assembly as I recently replaced one but I inspected and its not showing any leak after flushing and refill, it stops completely. No visible water in wall or floor, I put my ear in wall for each faucet and cannot hear any water drip sound. Is there any thing else I'm missing to check before I call the plumber? I currently shut my main line so I'm not wasting any water lol

This happened to me in the late 80's in a California house on a slab, when a large puddle formed on my patio during a years-long drought. Insurance company connected me with a guy with a directional mic and headphones. He walked around the yard and house until he pinpointed the leak..."about 10" into the slab directly below the kitchen sink". Rented an electric jack hammer, pounded a hole in the slab, and there was the leak exactly where he said it would be, a kink in the flexible copper waterline that corroded through after 15 years.

Might save you a little time digging, if you find someone who offers that service. Took the guy less than ten minutes to find it.

 

[Rockit69]

They often ran a soft copper pigtail from the meter out a few feet and then adapted to pvc to the house. My guess is the male/female between the transistion is the culprit. Another culprit is a slight kink in the soft copper that has wore through over time.

 

[Dixemon]

Do you have a irrigation system? Those valves can stick and fail to shutoff completely.