How to tell if a water pipe is leaking underground

September 21, 20220

Are you concerned about an underground leak?

If you are, you shouldn’t ignore it, an underground water leak can damage your home or businesses, leading to costly repairs.

To help you detect a water leak, here at Watermains and Drains, we’ve shared some common signs of underground water leaks (internal and external) below. However, if you’re confident there’s a problem, the best thing to do is give an expert a call.

If you’d like us to locate and repair your leak, we offer lead pipe replacements,leak detection, drainage repairs and reactive call out services in the event of an emergency.

Call Now: 0800 024 8494

Signs of a leak underground internally

You may have an underground water leak inside your property if you notice the following signs:

  • An obvious drop in water pressure when using plumbing appliances such as your taps
  • Splashing or hissing noises
  • An increase of mould or insects in your home
  • A sewage smell, odd odour or dirty looking water
  • A steadily increasing water bill over the last few bills (without alteration in household water usage)

<h2″>Signs of a leak underground externally

You may have an underground water leak outside your property if you notice the following signs:

  • Wet spots in your lawn or garden
  • Potholes or sinkholes
  • Sewage or mouldy smells
  • Breaking or cracking of paved areas (such as your driveway)
  • Flooded water around a sprinkler head
  • A steadily increasing water bill over the last few bills (without alteration in household water usage)

How to detect leak underground

Test for a main water line leak

Follow these following steps:

  1. Turn off all water appliances inside and outside your home and ensure no one in the household uses them while you carry out the test.
  1. Locate your water metre (usually found in a box in front of your house).
  1. Read your water metre. If you have an analog water metre, look for a silver wheel or small red triangular dial. If either one is moving, you have a leak. For a digital water metre, shine a torch or light on the flow screen and look to see if it is flashing a number above zero. If it is, you have a leak.

How do I know if the water main leak is inside or outside my home?

  1. Locate your home’s water shutoff valve. This could be under the sink, in a garage, basement or outside wall.
  1. Close the valve to shut off the water supply to your house.
  1. Go back to your water metre. If the leak indicator stops moving, then you have a leak inside the house. If the leak indicator continues to move, then the leak is outside between the metre and the house.

Watermains & Drains have highly skilled leak detection engineers on hand to respond to emergencies in the North West, Midlands, West Yorkshire and North Wales.

Call Now: 0800 024 8494

If your pipes burst underground it’s natural to panic, but if caught early, it can be fixed relatively easily and save you a lot of money in damage repairs. It’s important to keep an eye on the areas mentioned above while looking and listening for signs before it’s too late.

If you suspect an underground water leak, contact our leak detection engineers in Manchester and Cheshire here at Watermains and Drains, and we’ll have the leak detected and resolved in no time, without causing disruption to your residential or commercial property.

Call us today: 0800 024 8494