While some household leaks are easy to troubleshoot, others are a lot harder to detect and fix. One of these more “difficult” leaks is under driveway leaks—they are less easy to pinpoint, trickier to repair, and can cause significant damage over time. Luckily, the pros at Leak Finders can help you detect a water leak in your driveway. Here is a guide on what signs to watch out for!

1. Water Accumulating Around Home

This is a pretty obvious sign, but if you notice water accumulating on or around your driveway, or in the grass around your driveway, you might be dealing with a leak. Unusual dampness or puddles could be caused by various things such as burst or corroded pipes or even worse, a water main leak. Water main is a large pipe connected to your service pipe, which brings water from the main source into your home. If you have a water main leak, you have a major leak on your hands, and it is best to contact a professional as soon as possible.

2. High Water Bills

If the leak isn’t as obvious as accumulation on or around your driveway, it will show up on your water bill. Look at your water bill and see if you notice a spike in the price from the last month’s. This should be the first indication that there is a leak issue in your home.

3. Loss of Water Pressure

If you are losing a great deal of water, whether it’s a leak from a smaller pipe or from a water main, chances are you will see a decrease in water pressure. There are several ways you can find out the water pressure in your home. You can either use a pressure gauge from your nearest home improvement store or, if you are on city water, you can ask the local water department for a pressure reading. The ideal pressure reading is 45-55 psi. If you notice the pressure is significantly lower, you might be dealing with a leak.

4. Rumbling or Hissing

The water main enters your house from below ground level, where either your basement or crawlspaces are most likely located. Check if there are any unusual noises coming from your basement when water is not being used. If you notice an odd rumbling or hissing coming from here, you might be dealing with a leak that could potentially cause puddles or deformities in your driveway.
The Pros at Leak Finders Can Help!
If you realize you have an under-driveway leak, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Leak Finders. With our advanced acoustical and thermal technologies, we can dig around for leaks and fix them in no time. We can even patch up your driveway, so the repair isn’t even noticeable. If that sounds like the kind of service you want, get in touch with us today! Call us at 804-767-3580 or schedule a service on our website!

With summer almost here, you want to make sure that your pool is vacation-ready. That means you want to ensure it is well-maintained and free of any issues like a clogged filter, cracks at the bottom and in this blog’s case, leaks! It’s often hard to tell whether your pool has a leak but it’s important to troubleshoot it as soon as possible because ignoring it will lead to water wastage, loss of heat and damage to your pool deck. To help you find leaks in your pool, the pros at Leak Finders are here to help. Here is a guide on how you can detect a pool leak!

1. Increase in Water Bill

If you notice an increase in your water bill, it might be caused by a leak. While pool season and increased usage of your pool might lead to an increase in your water bill, a leak will show you a very noticeable spike in your water bill. A simple leak in your pool could lead to over 900 gallons of water lost per day.

In addition to an increase in your water bill, you might also notice a spike in your electricity bill, especially if this leak has been going on for a long time. A leak might force your filter or pump or other electrically powered pool components to work overtime and increase your energy usage.

2. Soggy Spots

If you notice any soggy or damp spots around your pool such as in your yard or around the pool deck, you might be dealing with a pool leak. This is a pretty visible leak and can worsen the condition of your yard, causing landscaping to shift and sink. In addition to that, it can loosen the structure of your pool deck.

3. Cracks in Tiles

Since pool leaks cause landscaping and the pool structure to shift and sink, it can lead to cracks in tiles. This is usually caused by the presence of excess water, most likely caused by a leak. The bond beam, which is made of concrete where the pool’s waterline hits, will most likely have a few cracked or falling tiles if you have a leak in your pool.

4. Try the Bucket Test

Try the bucket test to check if you have a leak. Simply place an empty 5- gallon bucket on the second step of the pool. Fill the bucket and align it with the water level in the pool. Use duct tape or a marker to mark the water level in the bucket. Then turn off the pump and wait 24 hours and check to see if the water level in the pool is LOWER than the level in the bucket. If that is the case, you have a pool leak. However, if the water level in both is lower but still the same, that means you have only lost water due to evaporation, not a leak. Try repeating this test a few more times to be sure.

Are you sure you have a pool leak? Well, get in touch with the pros at Leak Finders ASAP! Call us today at 804-767-3580 or schedule a service online!

 

 

Look Out for Leaking Sewer Lines

A leaking sewer line is a frustrating (and rather disgusting) problem to deal with. It causes other problems such as increasing water bills, backups, and the growth of mold and mildew—if ignored, they can build up and lead to expensive repairs and remediation. That’s why, when you notice you have leaking sewer lines, it’s important to find ways to troubleshoot it immediately. However, it’s not always easy to tell whether you have a leak or not. That’s why the pros at Leak Finders are here to share some of the telltale signs you have a leaking sewer line!

1. Bad Odors

Your plumbing system is designed to ideally prevent odors. Each plumbing fixture has a trap, which is the bend in the fixture’s pipe. The trap retains a little bit of water, forming a seal and preventing waste from making its way inside your home. Plumbing vents connected to your water pipes will regulate water pressure in the trap and allow sewer gases to escape outside your home instead of staying inside. However, if there is a single leak or abrasion in this system, such as the sewer line, you will immediately notice an unpleasant odor. This is harmful to the residents in your home as odors and sewer gases can be dangerous to inhale.

2. Slow Draining

If your plumbing fixture such as your sink, toilet, or bathtub is draining very slowly, your first inclination will be to unclog it. If you try all unclogging techniques (plunger, drain snake, baking soda, and vinegar, the list goes on) and your fixture still drains slowly, you might have a clog deeper in the sewer line. This could be caused by several factors such as tree roots intruding in the line, other materials obstructing the line, or cracks/leaks building up in the sewer line. Slow draining can obviously lead to stubborn clogs and sewage backup—tackle this problem before it becomes worse and contact your local plumber.

3. Soggy Lawn

If it has rained or your sprinklers have recently gone off, it’s understandable that your lawn will be soaked. However, if you notice that your lawn is constantly soggy and has exceptionally green spots surrounded by a browning lawn, you just might have a leaking sewer line. This can lead to the build-up of insects and toxins in your lawn and, while you might like the greenery, it’s not going to be helpful for your landscape in the long term.

4. Build Up of Mold

Mold is a fungus that is attracted to damp environments. Where there are mold and mildew, there is most definitely a leak. If you have wet spots in your ceiling, wall or floors, mold will find a way to grow in these areas and cause damage to your drywall and the foundation of your home.

Have you noticed any of these signs of a leaking sewer line? Call the pros at Leak Finders at 804-767-3580 or schedule a service online! We are Richmond, VA’s premier leak detection company, and provide top-notch service!