Leaks are often a silent killer in many homes, but when left unchecked, even minor leaks can lead to mold, rotting wood, or foundation damage. If you do believe you have a leak and you’re not sure what to do about it, calling an experienced plumber is the first thing you should do. Getting on top of a leak before it gets worse and creates more damage is crucial.
However, some leaks are hard to detect, especially if you suspect they are coming from inside the wall. So, how do you find a water leak inside a wall? Pilot Plumbing & Drain is here to explain to you how you can locate the leak and what we do to resolve the issue.
How We Pinpoint Leaks
Knowing that your plumbing system has spring a leak is excellent, but to repair the problem area, you must find it. This is where our leak location services come in handy. Leaks are a relatively simple defect that plumbers resolve quickly with the right know-how, but only if they can locate the leak. This is how we do that:
Inflatable Cut-Off Points
We will work to narrow down the location of the leak by using several inflatable balls to cut off water flow to several distinct sections of the lines.
The Pressure is On
This process is in areas that fail to maintain water pressure until our plumber can identify the portion containing the leak.
Next Steps
Your plumber can either attempt to repair the designated area or continue to pinpoint the exact location of the drip.
Confirming the Leak Location
To identify the presence of a leak in your plumbing system, our qualified plumbers use a combination of these three techniques:
Leak Listening
While it cannot pinpoint the location of a leak, electric devices can effectively hear the presence of leaks in water lines.
Leaky Pipes: Leaky pipes can cause more issues than one. If the leak is bad enough, it can cause water damage, mold, and even flooding. But, how did the pipes get to this point? There could be a number of reasons as to why your pipes are leaking. It may be because of clogged drains, incorrect pipe installation, corrosion, joint damage, cracked seals, cracked pipes, or excessive water pressure. Whatever the reasoning, it’s best to call a plumber.
Video Inspections
Using infrared cameras, plumbers can locate any changes in the walls of your plumbing lines.
Signs of Water Leaks in Walls
If you suspect there may be hidden leaks in the walls, there are many signs to look for to confirm your suspicion. These signs include damp or discolored drywall; peeling paint or wallpaper; warped or stained wall; a buckle, crack, or water stain on drywall ceiling or your floor; pools of water on the floor near walls or drips from the ceiling; a wall leaking water; and or a musty smell.
Slab Leak Detection
Slab leaks are not a quick fix. Leaks that occur near your slab foundation can be some of the most devastating. Not only are they practically impossible to detect until they have become a serious problem, but they also deal significant damage to your home’s foundation. That makes it all the more critical to have us perform a slab leak detection at the first sign of a leak.
The main signs to look out for are water spots on the floor, crack in the foundation, and or mold/mildew in unexpected places.
How to Find Water Leaks in Walls On Your Own
If you’re ambitious and want to track down a wall leak inside a wall yourself, there a few ways to do this – but just know – without the proper training and knowledge of an experienced plumber, you may not know how bad it is and what to do next after finding the leak.
The first thing you can do is check your water meter; turn off faucets, showers, toilets, appliances, etc., that rely on water; avoid using water in your home for at least three hours; and re-read the meter after you’ve done this steps. If the number increased, you have a water leak somewhere in your home.
You can also purchase a moisture meter, which will help you locate the leaks inside the walls. However, you must learn how to use this and read it properly so you know what you’re looking for. An infrared camera will also help. Although it won’t detect the leak, it will show you heat temperatures – helping to narrow down where the leak might be.
Finally, you can cut into your drywall – but we advise against this, especially if you end up cutting where the leak doesn’t reside. This just creates more work for you.
The best thing you can do is hire an experienced plumber that knows how to detect water leaks, repair them, and give you the right advice moving forward.
Trust Pilot Plumbing to Repair Your Leaks
With over 15 years of business and thousands of five-star customers, we pride ourselves on being the best affordable plumbing company for the surrounding communities – prompt and reliable plumbing services you can trust.
When it comes to leaks of any type, whether it be a leaky pipe, a slow leak, clogged gutters, faulty plumbing, or even a water line repair, we’re the experts in the Vancouver, Washing area that you should choose.
Not only do we stick to our word when it comes to timing, we put customers first and profits second. We believe that good work and honest people will always get what they need, and don’t need to push for it.
We’ll never recommend repairs that you don’t need and we’ll repair all of your plumbing issues efficiently and successfully.
If you suspect a leak inside of your walls and you live in the Vancouver area or surrounding communities, give us a call. We’ll take the time to learn about what you suspect, talk about your findings, and we’ll come take a look and repair in a timely manner.
