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It has been our experience that water issues are one of the most common problems for homeowners.
Between our two homes, we have had numerous water leaks, some minor and others pretty bad. Recently, Steph discovered a leak at her house that required three visits from the plumber. Well, four visits, if you count the water problem she had shortly before the current leak! Read on to hear about our experience and what we learned along the way. 
While Steph was outside doing some yard work she noticed some standing water in this flower bed. This didn't seem alarming as there is a downspout that directs water into the area plus it is surrounded by landscape blocks that tend to hold the water in this area. We dug around a bit to redirect the water out of the area.
This is that downspout that we thought was directing the water into the area. In the previous few weeks, we had an unusual amount of rain so we thought the ground was saturated and couldn't hold any more water and that is why it was standing and not draining. We continued to dig around and make channels for it to drain.
To help move the water, we used a Ryobi pump which cleared that water but it just kept coming back.
Finally, after a few days of trying to redirect the water and digging, we discovered a pool of water bubbling up through the soil. That was our aha moment that it was a leak, NOT a draining issue. We turned off the water to confirm. As soon as we did the bubbling stopped.
The plumbers dug down fairly deep to find this pipe situation. There was a tiny leak probably caused by nearby roots. They made the repair, we turned the water back on and everything stayed dry. Until....
Fast forward a mere 24 hours later, when Steph discovered another pool of water very near the other leak. We called the plumbers again and they came right out.
This leak was closer to the boxwood hedges which they said probably caused this leak.
They uncovered the pipe and repaired the pipe.
They cut out the damaged pipe.
This is the repair they made to the pipe. While the plumbers were working, Steph commented that it was weird that there were two leaks just a day apart. (On the second visit a different set of plumbers from the same company came out.) They said that sometimes if the water pressure is too high coming into your home it can damage pipes and appliances like washing machines. They tested the pressure and it was high.
On the third visit, the plumbers dug out the water pressure regulator which is located near the water meter.
The part had clearly failed.
This is the new regulator that was installed.
The box on the left is the water meter and the green, circle is where the water regulator is located.
This is how it looked after they finished.
The plumber told us how to check for a leak by looking at the water meter. That tiny red dial moves every so slowly when water is running. If you have everything off in your house and this dial is moving, then you can safely assume you have a leak somewhere. It's very subtle so be patient while you are observing it. I used my camera to take video. It was very obvious on video.
If the dial is not moving you are good. As an aside, I checked the meter at my house when I suspected an outside leak. Thankfully, the dial was not moving. What I thought was a "me" issue turned out to be a city water issue. I could quit worrying!
As a homeowner, learn to turn off the water in your house. At Steph's house, when the lever is turn to the left the water is off. You can find this turn-off lever inside the water meter box which is located near the street. It may differ in your area but this is how it looks at both our houses.
This inexpensive little tool is what the plumbers used to test the water pressure at Steph's house. You simply screw it onto an outdoor water spigot and turn on the water. This is the water pressure after the installation of the new water pressure regulator which is now at the appropriate level. Before the water pressure was 85, normal range should be 40-60psi.
You can download a free worksheet to store all the numbers for services you may need for home repairs. It saves so much time and anxiety if you already have service providers vetted and ready to go in the event of an emergency. We've used our list for plumbers, electrical issues, roofing, and tree issues. If you don't have first-hand experience with certain providers, it's good to research your options. I've found NextDoor to be a pretty reliable source of information. I found a great appliance repair technician that way. Use the search feature to narrow down what you are looking for.
At the time of this writing, I'm awaiting a visit from the plumbers at my house. We purchased the water pressure gauge to have on hand. I tested the water pressure at my house and the dial zoomed to over 100 immediately. That is way to high!
The water pressure regulator has never been replaced in the 25+ years we've been here so I'm sure it is a mess just like the one at Steph's house. Please note: This is not a sponsored post. FYI: We are not professionals, and we don't claim to be. This is what we found worked for our project. Yours may need a little different approach. Safety first! FYI: Affiliate links are being used on this page. Purchasing via these links help support MDP. Related Projects
1 Comment
Ms. Watson Nancy
10/17/2024 04:08:43 pm
Great info as always. Thank you so much! Leave a Reply. |
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