Leak Detection and Pipe Leak Repair

Where Leaks Come From

Water leaks happen for many reasons. You have a lot of hot, pressurized water shooting through your pipes every day. Even though your pipes are built to withstand it, over enough time that water will begin to cut through or erode the walls and joints in your pipes. Rust, corrosion and clogs can also lead to leaking water.

Pipe Joints

Most water leaks occur near or in a pipe joint, where one pipe connects to another. When water passes through joints on its way through the system, it gets shaken up as it is forced to swirl and squeeze to get from one pipe to the other. This little bit of extra turbulence makes the pipe walling around the joint wear down that much faster.

Additionally, the glue that holds PVC pipes together or the soldering between copper pipe joints can weaken or corrode over time. Check pipe connections periodically to make sure your plumbing system is in good shape.

Hard Water

The integrity of your pipes is affected by the attributes of the water in your system. If your home has hard-water (mineral-heavy), it’ll eat through the pipe walls more quickly. Alkaline minerals are hard on pipes and can build up into clogs. Low pH value of your water can also affect corrosion. Water with subtly acidic properties will eat away at the lining of the pipe, weakening it and making it more susceptible to wear and damage.

Water Pressure

The more pressurized your water is, the faster it’ll shoot through your pipes. The higher the velocity of the water moving through the pipes, the rougher it’ll be on the inside of your pipes. Over time, the pipe will be worn away enough that tiny hairline fractures will be worn into them by the water.

When water passes through the part of the pipe that’s worn away, the pressure of open water in the closed system will suck the water out causing leakage. If you think you might have a leak, don’t wait until it’s too late to contact a professional plumber.

How to Detect a Water Leak in Your Home

To confirm that you have a leak, check any of these causes and follow the steps outlined below.

Increased Water Bills

If your water bill has gone up in the past month or two without a change in your water use, it could indicate a leak. All that water you’re paying for needs to go somewhere.

Check your Water Meter

First, make sure no one is using any water in your house. Tell your family or housemates to hold off on taking a shower, flushing a toilet or using any sinks.

Your water meter is likely outside, near the front of your house, in a covered box. Your meter should have a leak indicator, though its appearance will depend on the brand.

In any case, you should notice an indicator or dial that moves when water is being used. If you’re sure no one is using water and the dial is moving, then chances are you have a leak.

To double check, write down the numbers listed on the meter. After you do this, wait half an hour and make sure no one uses any water for that time. After half an hour passes, go back outside and read the meter again. If the reading has changed from the number you’ve written down, you almost certainly have a leak somewhere.

Find the Source of Your Water Leak

Once you know for sure that you have a leak, narrow down whether its inside or outside your home. Find your home’s main shut-off valve and shut off your water. Then, check your meter once again. If the dial is no longer moving, it means that the leak stopped when you turned your water off and is inside your house.

If the dial is still moving or there’s a change in the meter’s readings, then your leak is somewhere in the pipes outside your house. Now that you’ve determined whether the leak is inside or outside your house, you can try to figure out where exactly the leak has sprung.

Indoor Pipe or Toilet Leak

Start by turning your water off again. Work your way up from the lowest level of your house, checking every pipe you and listening closely for dripping. Your leak could be in your walls.

Check toilets by taking the cover off the tank and listening for any noises. If you can’t find a leak this way, drop food coloring into the toilet tank. If that food coloring shows up in the toilet bowl an hour later, you have a leak. You could also turn off the water supply at the base of the toilet, record the water level inside the tank, wait an hour, then check to see if the water supply remained at the same level. If it didn’t, there’s a leak in the flapper or flush valve. If the water level is the same but you still suspect a leak in the toilet, the leak is coming from the toilet’s refill valve or float. Don’t panic! Toilets can be fixed.

How to Find Outside Water Leaks

If your leak is outside your home, check each of your exterior spigots. Listen for any sounds of running water or dripping. If you have a swimming pool, check all your components for leaking, including the pipes, lining and pump.

If you think the leak is subterranean–in your service line or irrigation system, for instance–go out into your yard and look for muddy or soft patches, or anywhere the grass seems greener than the rest of the yard. A professional plumber can help tell if you have an underground leak.

Home Leak Repair from Mike Diamond Services

Who do you call for a water leak? In Los Angeles and Orange County, contact Mike Diamond Services 24/7. We’ll send one of our certified plumbers equipped with all the tools necessary to repair your leak. Our technicians quickly and effectively locate and stop water leaks in home and in businesses. They’ll also give your whole plumbing system a once-over to determine if the leaks are indicative of a larger problem.

Schedule with Mike Diamond today for all your Los Angeles plumbing leak detection needs and concerns.