There may come a time when you notice water pooling in your yard even though it hasn’t rained recently. Or maybe your utility bill increases significantly despite your water consumption staying the same. Both of these signs point to an issue that shouldn’t be ignored: an underground water leak. Here McLay Services, Inc., your trusted HVAC and plumbing contractor, discusses why this happens and how to determine if you have one.
Why Underground Water Leaks Occur
An underground water leak occurs when an underground water supply pipe bursts or leaks along its length or from the joints or fittings. A combination of factors like roots from nearby trees growing into the pipes, soil shifting as a result of root growth or moisture saturation, corrosion of the pipes or drilling activities near your property can contribute to this kind of leak.
This plumbing issue isn’t something you should ignore or delay addressing. You must take action as soon as possible by getting in touch with your local plumbing company; just make sure it’s one that has the necessary tools and equipment to identify the source of the leak and fix the problem from there.
What You Need to Do
One way to determine if there’s a leak is to shut off all the fixtures in your home and put red food coloring in all your toilet tanks. Once that’s done, check the reading on the water meter, then wait for at least an hour before you recheck the meter as well as the toilets. If the water in any toilet bowl is red, then that toilet is leaking. If the bowls are still clear and the red water hasn’t left the tanks but the reading on the water meter has changed, then you may have an underground water leak.
Underground leaks can originate from inside or outside your home. To determine whether the underground leak is inside your house, listen for hissing or splashing sounds near the pipes and fixtures. You should also check if there’s a significant drop in water pressure in your plumbing fixtures, as well as an increase of moisture or water pooling near affected pipes. Strong odors and sewage smells also indicate an hidden indoor/underground leak.
If you think the underground leak is outside your home, look for potholes or sinkholes on your lawn. You may also notice that the grass in one area seems greener than the rest of the yard: this might be where the leak originated. Wet spots in your lawn are also telltale signs of an underground leak, as well as the cracking and breaking of the driveway or walkway.
Call McLay Today!
In addition to quality HVAC services, McLay Services, Inc. also has a team of professional plumbers who can help you with all your plumbing needs. We provide a wide variety of plumbing services, each of which is custom-tailored to help you with your unique situation. Call us today at (909) 392-2202 or fill out our online request form. We serve La Verne and the neighboring areas!
