Hidden Leaks on a Hillside Lot

Long service lines

Homes on hillsides often have long water lines from the meter or well, sometimes with bends and fittings along the way. Each fitting is a possible leak point.

Where water shows up

A wet patch at the bottom of the yard, a damp lower-level wall or a crawl space that's always wet may be fed by a leak higher up.

Check the meter

With all water off, watch the meter's leak indicator. Then close the main at the house. If it keeps moving, the leak is between the meter and the house.

On a well

If the well pump runs when nobody is using water, there's a leak somewhere between the pressure tank and the taps, or in the line from the well.

Soil and slopes

Heavy rain and soil movement can stress buried lines on slopes. After a big storm, walk the line's route looking for new wet spots.

Get help

A plumber can trace a hidden leak. See emergency plumbing for urgent ones.

Toilets and fixtures

Before blaming a buried line, check the toilets. Add food coloring to each tank and wait 15 minutes; color in the bowl means a leaking flapper. Look under sinks and behind the washer too.

Keep a record

Note where and when wet spots appear, and whether they follow rain. Leaks that show in dry weather are more likely to be plumbing; ones that only follow rain may be drainage.

Compare bills

Look at the same month last year. A steady rise in water use, or a well pump that seems to run more often, is often the first sign of a slow leak somewhere on the property.

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