Leak detection and repair in Lebanon

Many of the older homes in town have galvanized supply lines, which rust from the inside, and cast iron drains that crack or weep at the joints. A basement or crawlspace wall that is damp may be a leak, but it can also be groundwater, and in a limestone region those are easy to confuse. We figure out which it is before we do any work.

We start with the places leaks most often hide: under sinks, behind toilets, around the water heater, and at accessible joints in the crawlspace. Then we test the lines under pressure. If the system holds, the problem is elsewhere, and we tell you so.

Houses built into the slope in and around Lebanon often have basements, and rock under the foundation means water follows cracks instead of soaking down. A damp wall can come from the plumbing, from a roof gutter that dumps next to the house, or from water finding a path through the rock. We start by ruling out the pipes. If they are tight, we tell you so and suggest where to look.

Most water meters have a small flow indicator, often a triangle or a star, that spins when any water moves through. Some also have a sweep hand and a row of digits. To test for a leak, shut off every fixture and appliance, make sure no one is using water, and look at the indicator. If it spins, water is moving. If it is still, note the digits, wait a couple of hours without using water, and read them again. Any change is a leak.

The meter is usually in a box near the street, with a lid you can lift. Be careful of insects and wear gloves. Do not turn the valve on the city side. If you cannot find the meter, a call to the water department will tell you where it is. A photo of the meter with the date, taken a few days apart, is a good record to share with us.