Underground water leak detection is the trickiest part of any property. It may be hidden for many years and suddenly appear when the damage is out of control. It can cause an alarming situation at any home or office. If you suspect you leak, it is vital to get it fixed as soon as possible as compromised pipes can cause big problems to infrastructure and can be extremely expensive due to sky-high water bills.
Water leaks located underground can occur for many reasons, some of the most common being.
Chemicals: Whether present in the water or soil, chemicals can cause underground pipes to erode, leading to cracks or holes in the pipe that allow water to get through. This damage tends to happen over a considerable period.
Natural disasters: Earthquakes and tremors can put pressure on pipework, causing it to move and lead to cracks or splits.
Wear and tear: Older buildings and homes will have older pipework, which, over time, will become rusty and may give way, resulting in cracks and leaks.
Incorrect installation: this can be easily avoided by ensuring all pipework is carried out by a professional, as poor or wrong installation can cause pipes to leak.
Trees: When trees grow close enough to pipes, they can damage them and cause leaks.
Most of the time, these reasons are hidden and remain unnoticed until they decide to cause massive damage to the property. However, to prevent this problem beforehand, you must look for prominent signs of underground leakage.
What Are The Major Signs Of Underground Water Leakage?
As discussed above, underground water leakage can cause chaos in the house, significantly damaging your property’s foundations and plumbing systems. To prevent this, you must keep an eye on some signs that may whisper about the underground leaking. The prominent ones are as follows.
Sudden Increase In Water Usage and Costs
You know your house’s average use and probable water bill. Do you ever wonder why my water bill is so high this month? It is high time you inspect thoroughly to find a minor or visible leakage in your plumbing system. Most of the time, higher bills do not mean more usage, it points out water wastage at your home.
Cracked Areas or Bulges of Pavement
Suppose you suspect a surprising increase in cracks and lines on the walls of your house. These cracks and lines may indicate that a minor or major leak is happening somewhere in your plumbing system. A slight or visible bulge on the pavement of your garden, backyard, or floor is another sign of pipe malfunctioning.
Unpleasant Smells
When water stays or constantly leaks in a place for a long time, it causes a rustic and strong smell. The smell is visible around the room and often creates an unpleasant environment. It is advisable not to ignore any smell coming from your taps, pipes, or walls and get them checked before it becomes a disaster.
Low Pressure In The Water Supply
Keep an eye on the water pressure in your taps, faucets, and toilet tanks. If you suspect a slight change in the water pressure, there might be an underground water leakage. If you face this problem at home, call your nearest plumbing company to inspect, detect, and fix it.
Dirty Water
Sometimes, if underground water leaks, drinking water mixes with sewer water. This water is unclean, has a rustic smell, tastes weird, and often comes in yellow or brown. Consuming it can cause severe health problems or allergic disease outbreaks in your loved ones.
Sounds From Pipes
If you keep hearing the gurgling and constant running sound on your pipes or if you can hear water running from your drywall or floors, do not ignore this sign. Call a reputed water leak detection company, which will run tests to detect the problem and fix it using the latest technology.
How Does A Plumbing Company Conduct The Underground Water Leakage?
If you suspect a water leak underground on your property, contact a qualified plumber or engineer to identify and fix the issue as soon as possible. They will use many specialist devices to narrow down the leak’s location, reducing the additional costs and disruption of digging to find the problem. Some techniques they may use include:
Thermal imaging
This is where a camera is used to identify pipe locations that are buried in the building structure. The thermal imaging will show differences in surface temperatures and identify potential leaks.
Acoustic leak detection
Acoustic leak detection is carried out using ultra-sensitive microphones to listen for any sounds of leakages from the compromised pipework.
Trace gas leak detection
This technique is quite beneficial for detecting minor leaks in the plumbing system. This device uses a non-toxic gas that does not harm the pipes or the environment. The specialist runs the gas in the plumbing pipes and checks it with the gas detector device. If, at any point, the gas level decreases, it indicates pipe leakage. This technique is most useful when the leak is so small that other devices cannot detect it.
Leak noise correlation
This is carried out using powerful electronic devices to locate leaks on pressurized pipes where the location is either unknown or the distances are high. It involves placing two sensors in contact with the pipe on both sides of a suspected leak. The sounds are then recorded and processed in a radio system. From here, the unit uses mathematical algorithms to determine the leak’s location.
You can detect water leakage at your place by monitoring the major signs and using the latest tools. Of all the water leak detection techniques, the most beneficial are acoustic and trace gas devices. These tools help the specialists know the exact place of leakage while assisting them in implementing preventive measures.
When discussing a durable company, Ted’s Plumbing Company can instantly help you detect underground pipe leakage. We have experienced them who know how to use all high-tech tools that always give definite results. To book your consultation, visit our website now!
FAQs
How to pinpoint an underground water leak?
In most cases, a visible water puddle appears where water is leaking. If you suspect a sudden grass growing or water staying in your backyard, there is a leakage somewhere.
Is there a tool to find a water leak underground?
A Trace gas device is one of the most precise tools for detecting leaks in your underground pipes and surfaces.
How to trace an underground water leak?
Check for depressions or sinkholes in your backyard. If there are signs of holes and puddles, you can trace the underground water leak in your home.
