Underground water lines are a tricky proposition when it comes to plumbing repairs. You can’t usually spot signs of trouble until an actual leak has sprung up, at which time you often need to perform a full-bore excavation to get at the problem. Here in Lake Forest, CA water lines can also suffer damage from earthquakes, making excavation-based repairs more commonplace than they might be else. The good news is that technological advancements have made excavation must faster and more efficient, and there are new ways to detect leaks in underground water lines as well. We’ve broken down a few of them below.
The most obvious signs are usually the ones that will alert you to the problem. For example, if the water pressure in your home drops precipitously or puddles form in your yard without any apparent cause. Another quick way is to shut off water to the hose and then check the meter after 15 minutes or so. If water is still being used, you likely have an underground leak. In some cases, you may even be able to spot a leak if the grass in the vicinity of the leak is greener than the surrounding foliage.
Once you summon a plumber, he or she can take advantage of advanced tools to pinpoint the leak. Acoustic leak detectors can be used to spot the dripping sounds: a microphone is pointed at the ground and the plumber slowly moves along the length of the underground pipe until he pinpoints the spot where the leak is coming from. Similar tools use sonic vibrations, pressure sensors and other tricks to get to the heart of the issue.
Professional methods require professional training, which is why you should call the experts at Saddleback Plumbing the minute you realize that there’s an issue. We have ways to detect leaks in underground water lines that go above and beyond the standards, and we stand by our work from the start of the project to the end. Be sure to schedule plumbing service in Lake Forest, CA as water lines should be checked after every earthquake and any time you suspect there’s trouble. Give us a call today and let us take care of the problem for you!