Help with water leak

Hey forum,

Long time lurker, don't post much. I have a rental house purchased a couple of months ago, just finishing up the remodel and getting ready to rent out. Yesterday when I arrived to the house, I had a fairly sizable puddle of water in front of the front porch (on the walkway) the water comes from somewhere underneath either the house or the flower beds. Nothing inside the house is wet so I am hoping that the leak is somewhere in the front yard. I would guess the total run from the water meter to the house is in the 40 to 60 foot area, what could I expect in cost for fixing this? What are the chances that the leak is actually under the slab (Scary)... and if so, how much more would that add to my cost...

I know generic questions but if someone has a ballpark it would be great, by the way, I live in TX so all houses are pretty much slabs...

Thanks,
TEX

First, check the dial on the water meter and see if it is turning, when all the taps in the house are off. If it is, then try to find a main shut off up at the house. Turn that off and see if the meter still turns. If it does, you have narrowed down the leak.


A single underslab leak is not terribly expensive to fix,. unless it involves tearing up expensive floor coverings. If repeated underslab leaks have occured, or do occur, then a repipe through the attic may be in order. Average cost for that probably $5k neighborhood. Get several bids.

jimbo said:

First, check the dial on the water meter and see if it is turning, when all the taps in the house are off. If it is, then try to find a main shut off up at the house. Turn that off and see if the meter still turns. If it does, you have narrowed down the leak.


A single underslab leak is not terribly expensive to fix,. unless it involves tearing up expensive floor coverings. If repeated underslab leaks have occured, or do occur, then a repipe through the attic may be in order. Average cost for that probably $5k neighborhood. Get several bids.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jimbo,

I have verified that the meter is still running when everything in the house is turned off, no leaks or dripping faucets inside the house so my thoughts are the main water line... there is no signs of water inside the house what so ever. Everything is dry as dust...

Do the plumbers have some type of tool to identify where the leak is? Or is it cheaper/easier to just drop a new main line to the house?

Thanks, TEX

A call to a local plumber would answer all your questions.
He may want to use a leak locating company or, he may just elect to dig the wet spot and find it.

The bright side is you are in the sunny south and your line is certainly not buried as deep as we have them in the frozen north.

Thanks Redwood,

Call has been placed, just need to wait for the storms to pass by There is a lot of wet spots here today

Hopefully they can identify it fairly quick...