Leak detection
Leak Detection in Collingwood
A water meter that turns with every tap closed, or a well pump that starts with nobody using water. Both are leaks you can prove before anybody opens a wall.
Leak detection starts with a test anybody can do. On town water, close every tap and read the water meter. If it moves over an hour with nothing running, there is a leak. On a private well, listen for the pump: if it starts with nobody using water, the system is losing pressure somewhere.
Narrowing it down
Next, close the valve to the water heater and read the meter again, then close the branch valves one at a time. Each closed valve that stops the meter rules in one part of the house. A running toilet is the most common silent leak, and a few drops of food colouring in the tank find it.
Tools for a hidden leak
- Pressure testing a section of supply line with a gauge.
- Thermal imaging to find a cold or warm wet patch behind a finish.
- Moisture meters on drywall, subfloor and framing.
- Acoustic listening on supply lines under a slab.
Leak detection after a freeze
A pipe that split during a cold snap often leaks only once the main is back on. Pressure-test the house before refilling it, and walk every run while it fills. The frozen pipes guide covers the order.
Who owns the leak on the town side
Between the water main and the curb stop, the service belongs to the municipality. From the curb stop into the house, it belongs to the owner. A leak in the yard can be either. Call your town water department if you suspect the town side.
FAQ
Leak detection — common questions
How do I check for a leak with the water meter?
Close every tap and appliance, note the meter reading, wait an hour without using water, and read it again. Any movement means water is going somewhere.
My well pump cycles at night. Is that a leak?
Often. A pump that starts with nobody using water means pressure is dropping, from a leak, a running toilet, or a failing check valve that lets water fall back down the well.
Will you have to open the wall?
Only where the testing points. The aim of leak detection is to open one small section in the right place instead of several in the wrong places.
Talk to a Collingwood plumber
Collingwood Plumbers needs three things: the town, whether the house is on town water or a private well, and what the water is doing. Those three decide most of the job, from who you should actually call, to whether the fix is a valve, a pump or a pipe.