A water leak can happen at any time, especially underground. If it does happen, it can cause a lot of problems if not detected early enough. You can always hire a professional plumber or leak specialist to detect it otherwise you can find your own DIY leak detection techniques to detect a water leak underground.
What Causes Underground Water Leaks
There are some common signs that can cause underground water leaks. These include:
- Water Or Soil Chemicals – The pipes found underneath your house may crack or break due to the chemicals found in the water or soil.
These chemicals make the pipes erode causing cracks or holes that leak water into the soil underneath your home or the slab in the basement.
- Earth Tremors And Natural Disasters – This can shift the ground and put a lot of pressure on the water lines.
Eventually, the water pipes will crack and the water will start moving the soil underneath the slab. As a result, your property could become a very unsafe place to live because of the health concerns and structural issues caused by earth tremors and natural disasters.
How To Detect Underground Water Leaks
If you suspect an underground water leak, there are a few methods you can use to detect it. Here we explore what you can try to detect if you have a leak happening on your property.
1. Check Your Water Meter
Do you feel like there is a leak happening underneath your house?
Start by turning off all the water including faucets, tank toilets, washing machines and so forth.
Next, you should check the water meter dial to see its current position and then wait for half an hour before checking it again.
If there is any change in position, it’s a sign there is a water leak that needs fixing. Keep in mind that underground water leaks might be rare but can happen.
For instance, they can happen if the ground levels in the basement were raised during construction, especially using filled-in soil.
2. Check The Water Bill
You should check your water bill regularly to determine if there is an underground leak.
If you have been using a steady amount of water each month in your home and you notice an increase the next month, there is most likely a water leak somewhere.
Make sure your water bill is based only on the water passing through the meter.
When you notice such a change, it’s a good idea to hire plumbing or water leak experts to do an inspection and confirm this for you.
3. Check Your Property For Water Leaks
If there is any underground water leaking, you should be able to notice the leaks when you check your property.
For instance, are there random areas of water accumulating on the property? Are there any lush spots in the yard? Do you smell something musty in your home? Is there any mould growing in your house?
Any of these indicators are common signs you need a professional leak detector or plumber to prevent further damage to your property.
4. Use Detection Equipment
There are various types of leak detection equipment available to detect water leaks happening underground. These specialised devices can narrow down and pinpoint the location of the leak which will reduce disruption costs when digging up your property to find the leak.
Some techniques may include:
Thermal imaging
This is where detecting the leak is measured by infrared radiation which shows varying temperatures in different colours, with water temperatures indicated by brighter colours (yellow, orange and red).
Leak noise correlators
Leak correlators are electronic devices used to locate leaks on pressured pipes, where the location of the leak is unknown and the distances are relatively large. This works by detecting and comparing the sound produced by the leak at two destination points along the pipeline.
Acoustic leak detection
Acoustic leak detection is a method used to detect leaks underground. This sound detection equipment involves listening to the sound of water escaping from a leak. When water escapes from a pipe, it creates a unique sound that can be picked up by sensitive microphone sensors. The sound is then analysed to determine the location and the severity of the leak. Acoustic leak detection is a non-invasive method commonly used to locate leaks accurately, which is a popular choice for water utility companies, plumbers and leak technicians.
What To Do When You Notice a Water Leak
Firstly, you need to contact a professional leak specialist to handle any underground water leaks. If you don’t have the expertise to fix everything on your own, hiring a plumber is a very good idea. Of course, you need to do your own research and due diligence to find the right plumber for the job.
Secondly, you should know that not all underground leaks will be from the water supply. They might be caused by defective drain lines or the sewer.
The professional should help you determine where it’s coming from. Remember, underground leaks often start small.
Therefore, it’s a good idea to catch them early before they cause any property damage.
Call the plumbing and leak experts
Plumbing professionals have the right tools to determine whether or not there is an underground water leak. If you have used the methods above to check for a leak and have found one, then you need to hire a leak technician or plumber for the best repair solution. For all detection of hidden water leaks get in touch with our team or call 1800 532 533 today.