Calling leak whisperers

[AustinRacing]

Water meter has been running (see video) for months leaking out water. Current investigation has ruled out any leakage in pipes outside the house structure. Hoping experts can advise on a systematic approach to find where the leak is inside the house. It’s a typical two-storey house in urban village style complex. 

 

 

[AustinRacing]

1 minute ago, AustinRacing said:

Water meter has been running (see video) for months leaking out water. Current investigation has ruled out any leakage in pipes outside the house structure. Hoping experts can advise on a systematic approach to find where the leak is inside the house. It’s a typical two-storey house in urban village style complex. 

 

Furthermore, when the valve prior to pump entry is shut the meter stops so the meter is ok. Pump is turned off too with no  leakage around pump area. 

[JBChiangRai]

Every time this has happened to me, it has been a toilet failing to stop filling - start there

[Crossy]

Yeah, start with all the usual suspects.

 

If your toilets have shut-off valves shut them all and check again. If it stops open the valves one by one.

 

[AustinRacing]

1 hour ago, Crossy said:

Yeah, start with all the usual suspects.

 

If your toilets have shut-off valves shut them all and check again. If it stops open the valves one by one.

 

Shut all valves inside house. No luck. Still leaking somewhere under house or inside structure. Can’t see any visual signs. 

[AustinRacing]

Found the culprit. Pipe just before entering the house. Lucky no need to dig under the house. 

[Crossy]

That was lucky!

 

Bad joint or actual broken pipe?

[digger70]

I had one off the Slow leaks in the home that made the pump switch on sometimes . 

Found it ,took a little while  a slow leaking  stainless flexible Bum gun inside hose fitting slowly dripping.

Turn every thing off and check meter then turn on one at the time every time checking the meter you'll find the leak.

Edited July 27, 2023 by digger70

[RocketDog]

1 hour ago, digger70 said:

I had one off the Slow leaks in the home that made the pump switch on sometimes . 

Found it ,took a little while  a slow leaking  stainless flexible Bum gun inside hose fitting slowly dripping.

Turn every thing off and check meter then turn on one at the time every time checking the meter you'll find the leak.

True, if the leak is in external plumbing fixtures.

Nearly all such leaks in my 11yo house have turned out to be in buried pvc pipes usually at a pipe fitting that had no cement on it. It is very common for them to fit pipes and conduits just as a friction fit.

Even if they do use glue, I've never ever seen a joint done with primer. Such primer is purple so that inspection for good practice is easy.  

I count myself lucky if they just use glue though.

[AustinRacing]

17 hours ago, Crossy said:

That was lucky!

 

Bad joint or actual broken pipe?

It appears broken , maybe due to ground settling. 

[digger70]

19 hours ago, RocketDog said:

True, if the leak is in external plumbing fixtures.

Nearly all such leaks in my 11yo house have turned out to be in buried pvc pipes usually at a pipe fitting that had no cement on it. It is very common for them to fit pipes and conduits just as a friction fit.

Even if they do use glue, I've never ever seen a joint done with primer. Such primer is purple so that inspection for good practice is easy.  

I count myself lucky if they just use glue though.

Apparently that stuff they use here is a cleaner and a cement in one.I use it and works well. It bonds the joint together there's no way to get that joint apart .

You try it with some leftover pieces and a joiner  you'll see ,I tried  wrecked the pipe and joiner.

[AustinRacing]

6 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Apparently that stuff they use here is a cleaner and a cement in one.I use it and works well. It bonds the joint together there's no way to get that joint apart .

You try it with some leftover pieces and a joiner  you'll see ,I tried  wrecked the pipe and joiner.

Thanks. Neighbor is doing renovation so the builder came over and replaced it. All good now. 

[RocketDog]

3 hours ago, digger70 said:

Apparently that stuff they use here is a cleaner and a cement in one.I use it and works well. It bonds the joint together there's no way to get that joint apart .

You try it with some leftover pieces and a joiner  you'll see ,I tried  wrecked the pipe and joiner.

That may be true but it doesn't matter if they don't use any at all.

 

As far as I know, the primer is just a strong solvent that cleans and preps the pieces being joined. Interesting that the instructions advise joining the pieces while the solvent is still wet. I have to assume it serves a purpose.

I don't really believe the cement here is any different than anywhere else. I think they don't use primer here because it's not free, requires effort, they don't really care about doing it right, and probably don't know how anyway. In any event the primer is much more important for pipes greater than 2" diameter.

Too often, no cement is used at all, especially with buried electrical pvc conduit. In USA electrical pvc conduit is usually just friction fit, but glued if buried; not here.

 

Also I've seen water pipe joints that come apart (my sprinkler system). When I find the leak and dig it up, the pipes slip apart very easily. Close inspection shows a ring of pvc cement around the ridge of the fitting. They shoved the pipe into the fitting and then put a bead of cement around the interface, NOT inside the fitting. Just ignorance I have to assume.

 

Bottom line, as others have observed is that quality of workmanship here, in virtually all areas of construction, is just p*ss poor.

If you can't do it yourself then it usually won't be done right.

[Dante99]

On 7/28/2023 at 7:07 AM, AustinRacing said:

It appears broken , maybe due to ground settling. 

Sometimes they are not installed straight so that puts pressure on the joint and it cracks open after some years.  I think that has been the cause of several leaks in my garden.  Ground settling could also put pressure on the joints.