Locating an underground water leak?

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I wonder if anyone can help with the process of tracing a leak.

Living in the Th*m*s water area, it appears there is a noise of fast flow at
stopcock outside the house boundary.

The water meter is mounted above and after the internal stopcock and does not read out of the ordinary or move when everything is turned off,
water pressure is fine for showers etc...you would never know there was a leak if their external stopcock wasn't "busy".

I am led to believe from the above there may be a leak inside my
boundary, up to where the pipe joins the stop cock in the garage.

Just before the stopcock there is about 5-6" of black 25mm plastic pipe, I do not know how far this extends for.

The road and garage stopcocks are about 30 feet apart and the underground pipe crosses lawn and block paving, there is no evidence of lush or boggy grass or damp patches on the block paving which sits on sand.

Any ideas how to trace the leak?

Cheers.
 
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Just to add, there is a listing on the property, so the idea of going crazy
with a kango or dynamite may not be on!

I understand the building was converted and the supply pipe was likely
laid in the early '70s.

cheers.
 
Hi.

If you can turn off the main stop cock in garage then look in the water meter, take a reading then wait 1/2 hour and reread the meter.

If the reading is the same, no leak. :)

If the reading is not the same, a burst is somewhere between outside and garage stopcock. :cry:

It might be your nextdoor water supply. :idea:

Hope this help

Dan
 
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Hi.

If you can turn off the main stop cock in garage then look in the water meter, take a reading then wait 1/2 hour and reread the meter.
If the reading is the same, no leak. :)
If the reading is not the same, a burst is somewhere between outside and garage stopcock. :cry:

But :
The water meter is mounted above and after the internal stopcock

So if he turns off the stopcock, then the water meter will not change regardless of anything. Or am I missing something? It has been known :confused:
 
Hi.

If you can turn off the main stop cock in garage then look in the water meter, take a reading then wait 1/2 hour and reread the meter.
If the reading is the same, no leak. :)
If the reading is not the same, a burst is somewhere between outside and garage stopcock. :cry:

But :
The water meter is mounted above and after the internal stopcock

So if he turns off the stopcock, then the water meter will not change regardless of anything. Or am I missing something? It has been known :confused:

:oops: :oops:
Miss that!!! Thought it was the external combi meter and stopcock.
Clubsport, forget what I say!
I agree with Swidders. Maybe when you dig a little hole, it may be wet.

Idiot Dan. :LOL:
 
Tks for the responses guys.

No problems with the water meter, in fact when I turn the stop cock off at the road, the meter runs backwards as the water flows back out of the
system, which makes sense.

That is exactly my dilemma,,,,,where to dig the holes....no evidence on
grass or softness between the block paving.

Have since googled and there appear to be sonic readers and gas test
facilities available, no doubt at the cost of bank bailout!!!
 
This may be a really dim idea, but before digging holes, why not listen to the ground?

Choose a quiet time of day, and use a long screwdriver, or a bit of timber etc, one end on the ground with your ear against the other end. It may not be too accurate but might indicate the approximate area to investigate.

That's provided the police don't lock you up 'for your own protection' when they spot you with your ear to the ground at midnight :eek: :)
 
This may be a really dim idea, but before digging holes, why not listen to the ground?

Choose a quiet time of day, and use a long screwdriver, or a bit of timber etc, one end on the ground with your ear against the other end. It may not be too accurate but might indicate the approximate area to investigate.

That's provided the police don't lock you up 'for your own protection' when they spot you with your ear to the ground at midnight :eek: :)


Not dim at all, I used to work for a water company & they had night sounders, guys who went round with long thin steel rods listening to valves, stoptaps etc for leaks. One trick they did use was to place a steel hub cap on the ground in line with the pipe & listen for the leak, the hub cap (or you could use a pan lid) amplified the sound of the leak making it easier to locate.
 
Mogget, keego....Tks for the suggestions,,,certainly worth a try,,,Cheers
 
The point worth noting is, if, you have a leak then the pipe is certainly shot and needs replacing, digging a few holes will just prolong the agony.

Have a word with the utilities they may be able to mole a new pipe.
 
Call me a tight arse, but I would be fitting a drain off between the stop tap and meter, and drain all the water out before the water meter reader comes, hehe :D
 
The meter running backwards would seem to indicate a leak, otherwise it would just stop when you shut the external stopcock.

Is something teed into the supply between your internal and external stopcocks? - I suppose you could turn off the external one, and wait to see if anyone turns up on your doorstep asking if they could fill their kettle because their water has been cut off!
 

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