Moisture from a leak can cause stains to appear on your ceiling or walls. Bubbling, cracked, or peeling paint may indicate water is leaking on the other side of your wall. A warped wall or sagging ceiling also indicate a problem.
Water Meter Test
One way to find hidden water leaks is to conduct a water meter test. Turn off all the faucets in your home and check the water meter. If the meter is still running, you have a water leak.
A smart water leak detector can identify leaks and send alerts to your phone, even when you're away from home. The Flo by Moen Smart Water Leak Detector (available at Amazon for $46.67) is the best water leak detector we've tested because of its fast alerts, easy setup, and intuitive app.
Then, call a professional. Regardless of why your pipes are leaking, they might need expert attention to fix long-term. Plumbing issues don't fix themselves — they only get worse with time.
Ultrasonic leak detection.
This method uses sound technology to detect a plumbing leak. It works by measuring sound loss and variations in plumbing pipes, and is helpful for pinpointing the source of a leak.
One of the most well-known causes of water leaks — especially in the winter — are pipes that burst after the water inside them begins to freeze and expand. The pipe eventually ruptures when that pressure becomes too much for it to contain.
Connections that rely on threaded pipes and fittings are prone to leaks if they're not sealed with either Teflon tape or Teflon pipe joint compound. Careful plumbers use both pipe joint compound and teflon on every joint for extra security. They don't want to come back.
Checking for Leaks
The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves.
Use epoxy putty or pipe putty as a temporary fix to a leaky pipe. Pipe putty is designed to harden at room temperature and seal the hole or crack. Turn off the water supply line in the house.
Water in the soil around a home puts pressure on the foundation that can cause cracks, leaks, and structural damage.
Also, as they occur under our floors, the leaks may remain undetected for several days, weeks, or even months. Actually, some will have caused extensive damage to your house's slab by the time you notice them.
Over time, it may cause the foundation to buckle and shift, cracking the home's floors and walls. In severe cases, it can even cause portions of the house to collapse.
If you suspect a leak, monitoring your home's water meter will give you a definitive answer. The meter is often located beneath a manhole-type cover near the street or (in areas where temperatures don't dip below freezing) on the side or back of the house, near to where the water supply line enters the house.
The longer a leak goes undetected, the more damage it does, destroying furniture and decoration, spawning mold and fungi, and even threatening structural integrity. A water leak detector can reduce the risk by alerting you to problems quickly so you can act to prevent severe damage.
The two most common methods include pressure decay testing and rate of rise testing. In pressure decay testing a known pressure is applied to a component, and pressure is monitored over time to determine pressure decay. The pressure as a function of time can be used to determine the leak rate.
For tiny leaks in pipes, use a compound stick available at most hardware stores. Simply rub the stick over the hole to stop the leak. The compound stick can even stop small leaks while the water is still running in the pipe. Epoxy paste can be applied only to dry pipes, and the water must be turned off.