Water Leaks | Water Line Repair Fort Worth

While leaks from dripping faucets waste water, water leaks in supply lines can place your home at risk of severe damage to the structure and its foundation. The greater risk comes from a hidden water leak, those you do not know you have until you notice the floor is rotten against a wall, or mold is growing in the laundry room, for example. Contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing when you need water line repair in Fort Worth.

Verifying a Water Leak

When you suspect a hidden water leak, use the water meter test with the following steps, or contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for water line repair in Fort Worth:

• Ensure all water is off inside and outside the home. This includes automatic equipment and conveniences, such as sprinklers, icemakers, etc. Ensure no one will use water during this time. When you are home alone provides the best means to ensure no one will accidently use water.
• Write down the reading of the water meter, and wait 30 minutes. If the meter dial is spinning with all faucets and appliances off, you have a leak. 

Shut your water supply off at the home’s main shut off valve if present. This is typically located next to or close to the> home, or in the basement. If the meter continues to spin after shutting off the valve, your leak is located in the water main delivering water from the meter to your home as long as the shut off valve is working. If water continues to run inside the home after turning off the shut-off valve, the valve is defective. 

Contact a Benjamin Franklin plumber for water line repair in Fort Worth. If shutting off the valve stops the spin, the leak is within the home. If the meter is not spinning, continue with the next step.

• Check the meter reading. If the meter reading indicates water use, it is likely there is a leak, contact Benjamin Franklin for leak detection and water line repair in Fort Worth.   

The meter test will only verify larger leaks. 

Water Main Leaks

All homeowners should know where the shut off valve is, and how to shut off the water supply. In addition, the water meter should have a lever, or other means to shut the water off at the meter. The meter can be shut off if the home’s shut off valve fails or breaks, preventing damage to your home until the plumber arrives to provide water line repair in Fort Worth. 

Leaks in the water main are not always evident with water bubbling up from the ground. The depth of the pipe underground can play a role in this, and other factors such as the size of the leak, soil type, and the location of the leak in the pipe can determine whether water will surface. Other potential signs of outdoor leaks in the water main are lush, green grass over the water line, unusually soft soil, water draining out from the ground running into the street, or at the home’s foundation are a few examples.

Leak Causes

There is a variety of potential causes for a leak in the home’s waterlines. Age is a common factor. Regardless of the type of waterline present in a home, each material has a specified lifespan. Water chemistry can affect the pipe’s lifespan, reducing it to less than expected in the presence of hard water in some cases. 

Mechanical damage is an additional factor for leaks. Any excavation in the yard can damage water line, and poor installation, and/or poor quality materials can contribute to leaks. Damage to water line during the initial installation provides a weak spot that over time can lead to a leak. In addition, older homes with galvanized pipe eventually require repiping due to corrosion. 

Signs of Hidden Leaks 

• Whether the leak is indoors or outdoors, low water pressure is a potential sign of a leak requiring water line repair in Fort Worth.
• The sound of running water when none is in use indicates a leak.
• Increased humidity in the home can be due to a leak.
• A musty odor can be due to the growth of mold and mildew, caused by a leak.
• Discolored flooring and/or cracked tile.
• Stained wallpaper, or peeling paint.
• Warped drywall is common when it gets wet.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing utilizes the latest technology in locating water leaks, and providing water line repair in Fort Worth. Delaying repair can lead to additional damage to your home and its foundation. Contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing for professional and reliable plumbing repair. We serve Fort Worth, Arlington, and the surrounding areas, and are a member of the BBB with an A+ rating.