Chasing a Water Leak?

[Geezy Rider]

If you have a cut off valve at the house. Turn it almost off and put a piece of metal on the valve up to your ear. You will be able hear if there is a water leak.

I’ll give that a try, thanks.

get a probe and go along the water line to see if you can find a soft spot. With only a trickle of dirty water, it should not be too hard to find unless it is indeed under the slab. As dry as it has been, it could be under the slab if it has shifted any.

I’ll give that a shot also.

Have you checked meter to confirm you have a leak?

No meter, I’m on a well.

These are good points. The brown water is a good telltale though.

Ill wager Heezy is on well. Ive had well pebbles clog up my water heater cold water side and washing machine cold water intake.

Additional thought to my original point, Ill also wager youve (or a friend has) got a thermal scope on a rifle thatll work if a flir aint handy.

Well pebbles? First I’ve heard of those. I have a water softener system and filtration system but I’m not sure if the barn water is on that same line or not. I’ll ask around about a flir.

What type of waterline do you have? Carry around an old inner tube in your back pocket until you find it

It’s a 1” pvc.

[ChrisB]

A thermal scope can show a temp difference in the concrete slab if it is a leak under it.

[Texas Grown]

I thought I had a slab leak. Some plumbing companies have a sound listening devises that tell exactly where the leaks are. It's like a stethoscope for leaks. And pinpoints the leak so they don't have to chase it, like you're doing. I was relieved to know it wasn't under my slab. But right at the edge of it, like 8" away. Cost was very reasonable for locating it. And I did the repair once I found out where it was. But there are a few that are way to high.

[DedDuk]

Turn off all water in house including toilets and watch pressure gauge on well. See if it goes down.

[doghouse]

Turn off all water in house including toilets and watch pressure gauge on well. See if it goes down.

This^^^^^

[100%TtId]

What if?? And I’m speculating here not recommending… but what if you shut off the upstream valve and then hooked up an air compressor to the line somewhere and slowly introduce air into the line. With the air coming out of the leak, it ought to whistle or make a loud enough hissing noise to hear where the leak is. You’d probably need to flush the entire system afterwards to clean out any contaminants from the compressed air.

I am not a plumber so take with a grain of salt.

[trash2]

Didn’t read too thoroughly but if you have access to a thermal it may help you locate it

[BTLowry]

What if?? And I’m speculating here not recommending… but what if you shut off the upstream valve and then hooked up an air compressor to the line somewhere and slowly introduce air into the line. With the air coming out of the leak, it ought to whistle or make a loud enough hissing noise to hear where the leak is. You’d probably need to flush the entire system afterwards to clean out any contaminants from the compressed air.

I am not a plumber so take with a grain of salt.

Someone suggested the same to me when I had a leak.
There are a few youtube vids that demonstrate the technique

I eventually found a spring out near the meter box. Had walked over that spot many times looking for leak before I found it