Detection & Repair

A water leak in underground plumbing can quickly become a serious problem.

Not only is water wasted, but the damage to the physical integrity of your home or business can become extensive. Detecting a leak may sound problematic, but you can look for certain signs that indicate the water is no longer flowing at full capacity.

If your home or business property is connected to a municipal water supply, pressure remains steady unless there is a leak within the city plumbing system or between the junction of the water main and the structure itself. Causes of leaks are many and include pipes broken due to ground settling, intrusion by roots, or worn out pipe material. If you're unsure what the cause is, it's best to call in the services of a professional plumbing repair expert.

What Causes Outdoor Plumbing Leaks?

Most often, the leak is caused by the pipe being damaged. Normally, inbound water supply pipes are buried two or three feet below the surface. This keeps them safe from freezing but also allows easy access in case a section has to be dug up and replaced. One of the most common causes of pipe failure is settling soil.

During periods of heavy rain, the soil will hold a huge amount of moisture. This is especially true if the soil is loose and is composed of a high percentage of organic material. The extreme weight can push down on the soil, causing it to settle. You probably won't notice this because the entire area is sinking, not just a small section. The sinking soil can cause the piping to bend downward, with most of the pressure occurring at a joint between two pipe sections. The joint comes apart, and the water rushes into the soil, forming a cavern that will cause even further settling once the water seeps into the lower soil layers.

If the water supply or wastewater pipes are near old-growth trees, the roots can bump up against the pipes. Eventually, the pipe cracks. This often occurs when a pipe is too close to a softwood tree such as a spruce or fir. The roots of softwood trees tend to grow outward instead of downward.

Older pipes made of metal can corrode over time. Sediment that gets trapped on the bottom of the pipe may become too heavy to move along with the water flow.

Knowing The Signs And Symptoms

The most obvious sign of a water leak is a sudden drop in pressure at the indoor sinks, toilets, and bathtubs. You can call the utility company to see if the problem is caused by a purposely closed valve on a water main. This is often necessary when maintenance is being performed. If this turns out not to be the case, check the meter reading at the main junction. If the meter is still recording water flow, chances are the leak is somewhere between the street and the home or business structure.

Wastewater outflow leaks are harder to notice because the water pressure remains steady. However, if you notice abnormal plant and weed growth in a small patch surrounded by normal growth rates, there may be an underground leak that is rather shallow. For example, consider a backyard lawn. If a straight-line section is darker, greener, and is full of taller grass blades, it indicates an abundance of water that is bubbling up toward the surface and soaking the mulch underneath the grass.

If the wastewater pipes run underneath the sidewalk, leaking water can cause heaving or settling of the concrete. This takes time to occur but eventually becomes quite noticeable.

Sprinkler systems are suspect to leaks as well. If the water pressure seems normal but the sprinkler heads are no longer popping up out of the ground, chances are that a leak has developed.

If any sort of leak is suspected, it's important to find out the exact location immediately. This is especially true if the signs and symptoms indicate that the leak is near or underneath the structure's foundation. Inattention to this may result in extensive structural damage because the home or business property can begin to settle or lean.

Proper Leak Detection

Most of us aren't professional plumbers and therefore aren't trained in the science of detecting an underground water leak. If the leak is shallow, however, you may be able to hear the rushing of a water leak. A whooshing or hissing sound coming from beneath the ground surface can mean either reduced orifice pressure or undue pipe vibration.

Splashing or babbling sounds coming from underneath the surface generally indicates water spray in a cavern created from leakage. The spray strikes the walls of the underground cavern. It sounds much the same as a septic tank that is overflowing because the pump isn't shutting off.

Clinking noises is another common sound heard when a pipe is broken. Small pebbles pushed around by the escaping water pressure bounce off other sections of the metal or plastic pipe.

If you aren't sure if you have a major water leak, the best solution is to call in a professional plumbing technician. These field agents are trained in the use of sonic detection devices that record the frequency of the sounds made underground. Sounding equipment is the best way to determine whether a subterranean leak is present.

How Professional Plumbing Repair Benefits You

Although it costs money to have a plumber come by and diagnose the problem, it is usually far less expensive than trying to fix the problem yourself. It doesn't take a licensed, experienced plumber very long to pinpoint the location and extent of the leak. He or she will quickly determine the best fix solution and will give a written estimate of the repair procedure.

Because professional plumbers carry the most advanced leak detection equipment available - including sound recording devices and pipe snakes with cameras - detection is almost never a time-consuming process. These experts are also well-trained in the removal/replacement of old pipes. There are many considerations including the depth of the pipes, the pressure from the municipal water supply, the slope of the soil, and the amount of water use in the residential or business property.

These factors determine the suitable method for repair. Remember that when the work is performed by a plumbing professional, the work is guaranteed, and most of it is covered by an extensive warranty.