Yard line water leaks aren’t just frustrating, they can also be expensive–especially if you don’t address them fast. The longer the main water line leading to your home, the more water it displaces into your yard. All that water seeps into the soil around your home, where it can cause all kinds of problems. Water seepage can lead to sinkholes, pipe dislocation, or even serious structural damage. You’ll get stuck paying for the water main repair and the damage it caused!
The only way to avoid those expenses is to figure out you have a yard line water leak fast. The faster you find your leak, the faster you can call in the pros to fix it. Unfortunately, finding a yard line water leak can be tricky… at least, if you don’t know what to look for. Luckily, now you do know what to look for. If you think you might have a yard line water leak, look for each of these three signs. Give us a call right away if…
Your water bills seem much higher than normal
Even the most minor water leaks waste far more water than you’d think. Did you know that a single, tiny faucet leak can waste up to 90 gallons of water a day? Imagine how much water a serious leak in your water main line could waste!
Water main line leaks waste a tremendous amount of water every day. You’re not seeing or benefiting from that water, but you’re paying for it anyway. If your bills suddenly seem higher and you can’t understand why, a water main leak may be the culprit. Fixing that leak won’t just prevent expensive damage in the future; it’ll save you money now!
There’s moisture accumulating on your walls
Your yard line transports all the water you use all the way across your yard and into your home. Like all pipes, it’s a closed system. The water isn’t supposed to leave the pipe until it comes out of your fixtures. If that water is running out of the pipe, it’ll cause all kinds of problems for whatever’s around it.
Unfortunately, those problems won’t be restricted to the area of the leak. Leaks introduce moisture and humidity to the entire width of the pipe. That moisture and humidity can seep into all kinds of places, including your walls. If you notice warping or dampness on your walls, floors, or cabinets, water from your main line may be responsible.
You hear running water sounds you can’t explain
Water is running through your water main lines constantly. Normally, you can’t hear it because the closed system of the pipe muffles the sound. If there’s a breach in that system, however, you may start to hear water running through the pipe.
Start by listening for these leaking sounds in the lowest, quietest parts of your home. Open up cabinets and cupboards to see if you hear anything behind them. If you hear the sound of running water, there may be a leak outside or in your walls.
There are unexplained puddles or mud in your yard
This is the most obvious sign yet. If your yard water line is leaking, all that water could be flowing out into your yard. When there’s too much water in your yard, your soil can’t absorb it all. Instead, it rises to the surface as runoff or puddles. That water can inflict some serious damage so if you see puddles, give us a call right away.
An important note: the actual water main leak isn’t necessarily near where you see the water. As water seeps out of the pipe and rises through soil, it can move quite a bit. You should never attempt to repair your water main by digging yourself. You could miss the source of the leak and do all that digging for nothing! Instead, if you need help repairing a main line leak, call in the pros right away.
More complex than you thought?
Contact a professional at Benjamin Franklin for your plumbing repair or installation needs.
There’s another reason you should never dig on your own: you may not have to dig much at all! Ben Franklin has the advanced equipment and experienced technicians we need to fix yard line leaks without extensive excavation.
You should never “wait and see” when it comes to yard line leaks. If you have a problem, you should call in the pros as soon as possible. The faster we get there, the more damage–and money–we can help you save.