Possible slab leak? Run new main through hose bibb into attic?

[yodelingjoe]

Last week, my water company called me and said I had used 7000 gallons of water in the last month, normally around 3000 gallons.

I've checked the usual culprits, and can't find a source of a leak. Put food coloring in the toilet tanks, checked the hose bibbs for leaks, water heater isn't constantly running, etc. With everything shut off in the house, the leak detector triangle is spinning at a rate of about 2rpm.

I'm thinking there may be a slab leak or a main leak. The lawn doesn't seem to wet or more mushy than normal (Eastern NC is very sandy) and I can't hear water running anywhere.

I have no water shutoff close to the house, just a shutoff near the city shutoff. I am unsure where the water enters the house. I am thinking it enters behind the water heater and branches off from there.

I'm thinking of running a new PEX main from the curb shutoff to the hose bibb in the front of the house, and using that as my entry to the attic, where my plumbing already resides.

All I need to find is where the old main enters my house, and cap that off?

Am I thinking of this correctly? Looking for any tips or tricks! I'd like to be able to turn my water back on again soon ha

Thanks!

 

[Jeff H Young]

your plan would work unless you have a slab leak . back feeding through a hose bib would "work" ,I would expect freezing might be a issue.
I think locate the main by a locating service . dig it up install a shutoff valve close the shutoff and open the curb cock at street if meter spins and wont stop the leak is in the main to house. the locating service can also do leak loation under slab of house and mark the entire water main if repairing instead of replaCING main is coincidered.
Actually first thing is determine if closing the water heater valve, meter stops spinning you can forget about the water main and concider a hot repipe over head or re routing a section of it

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Breplum]

Your hose bibb is likely 1/2" Can't do a home on 1/2"

 

[yodelingjoe]

I should've specified that I would be running a 3/4" line up through where the hose bibb is.

 

[yodelingjoe]

your plan would work unless you have a slab leak . back feeding through a hose bib would "work" ,I would expect freezing might be a issue.
I think locate the main by a locating service . dig it up install a shutoff valve close the shutoff and open the curb cock at street if meter spins and wont stop the leak is in the main to house. the locating service can also do leak loation under slab of house and mark the entire water main if repairing instead of replaCING main is coincidered.
Actually first thing is determine if closing the water heater valve, meter stops spinning you can forget about the water main and concider a hot repipe over head or re routing a section of it

your plan would work unless you have a slab leak . back feeding through a hose bib would "work" ,I would expect freezing might be a issue.
I think locate the main by a locating service . dig it up install a shutoff valve close the shutoff and open the curb cock at street if meter spins and wont stop the leak is in the main to house. the locating service can also do leak loation under slab of house and mark the entire water main if repairing instead of replaCING main is coincidered.
Actually first thing is determine if closing the water heater valve, meter stops spinning you can forget about the water main and concider a hot repipe over head or re routing a section of it

Yessir, that is basically the plan. A locating service is the next step if I can't find where the main comes into the house tomorrow. Otherwise, I might start digging to intercept the main before it goes under the slab, just to see if that portion of the main is good.

No luck on it being a hot side leak. Leak meter still spins when the hot is isolated. I was crossing my fingers, though!

If I have to go through the hose bibb, I'll be sure to insulate the pipe, or even try to make a nice insulated box enclosure, which would also protect the line from the lawn mower/weed whacker.

3/4 pipe to the cold, cap off wherever it's leaking, and I should be good! Finding the main is the hardest part.

 

[Jeff H Young]

I cant explain it but you are only getting half of the problem the leaky pipe needs capped off unless you are running an entire new cold water system in the house. maybe you know what you are doing but not explaining it all but capping the main and feeding the hosebib by itself wont fix the problem it will still leak under slab. a good chance the main enters the house where a bathroom or hose bib is thats in line with meter.
I guess you found the main or have locater coming have him pin point leak location too it might make sence to repair the leak rather than re route. also is it rolled soft copper under slab? galvinized? no pipes ran overhead in attic?