A leaking water line can be a serious issue. If left unchecked, even a small leak can cause serious water damage and potentially lead to toxic mold growth. If you suspect your home has a water line leak, here are the steps you should take and some signs that can help you identify when your home has a leak.
Shutting Off the Water Supply
Some newer homes have the water supply run to a plumbing manifold. In this case, most of the fixtures and pipes in the building have their own shut-off valves that control the flow of water to that pipe only. If so, you can simply close the valve so that no more water flows through the leaking pipe, and there is no need to shut the water off to the entire home.
That being said, the only option for stopping a leaking water line in most homes is to close the shut-off valve on the main water line. Unless your home has a plumbing manifold, the main water line supplies your entire plumbing system. As a result, you won’t have any water until you can get the leak fixed. After shutting off your water, you should then immediately contact a plumber. Fixing a leaking water line is not something you should do on your own as it will typically require cutting out the damaged section of pipe and replacing it.
The main water shut-off valve is almost always located in the basement or crawlspace, and it should be next to one of the foundation walls wherever the main water line enters the building. This is also where your water meter is located.
The shut-off valve is usually either a gate valve or a ball valve. Gate valves have a round handle or wheel that will look just like the handle on your outdoor hose bibs. To close a gate valve, all you need to do is turn the wheel clockwise as far as it will go. Most newer plumbing systems use a ball valve, and this type of valve has a straight metal handle. When open, the handle will run parallel to the water line. To close a ball valve, you turn the handle so that it is at a 90-degree angle perpendicular to the water line.
If the handle on either a gate or ball valve seems stuck and doesn’t move easily, you should immediately call a plumber for help. It is important that you don’t put too much pressure on the valve as you could break it, in which case you won’t be able to shut the water off inside the home. If the valve were to break or stick in the open position, you would then need a wrench, pliers or a special key to shut off the water outside your home at the curb stop.
How to Know if You Have a Leaking Water Line
Depending on the location and severity of the leak, a leaking water line may not be something you notice immediately. In many cases, only a small amount of water will leak out at a time, so it may be a while before you ever notice any visible water damage on your walls, ceilings or floors. Water spots, peeling or bubbling paint and soggy or warped flooring are all good indicators that you have a leaking water line. Musty odors and visible mold growth are also things to watch out for since even a small leak can quickly allow mold to start growing.
If you do suspect your plumbing system is leaking, it can be helpful to check your water meter. Most water meters have a leak indicator that spins to show when water is currently being used. If none of the plumbing fixtures inside or outside of your house are on and the indicator is spinning, it means there is definitely a leak somewhere in your plumbing system.
Unfortunately, the leak indicator is mostly useful for identifying more serious leaks. If there is only a minor leak, the water may flow through the system so slowly that the indicator doesn’t spin. Nonetheless, your water meter can still help you to identify even minor leaks. The easiest way to do this is to check the meter reading before going to bed. As long as you don’t turn on a faucet or flush your toilet overnight, the meter reading should be the same when you wake up in the morning. If the numbers on the meter have gone up overnight, it is a sure sign that there is a leak somewhere inside or outside the home.
Call Sveagle Today for Water Line Repair
If you’re dealing with a leaking water line, Sveagle is here to help. We specialize in leak detection and leak repairs as well as water line repiping, and we can also help if you need drain cleaning, sewer repairs or any other plumbing service in the Denver, Pueblo or Colorado Springs areas. Contact us today if you have any questions or need to schedule a service appointment.
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