- +1 (601)-248-8482
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- Versión en español
- (602) 248-8482
- www.amwua.org
- 3003 N. Central Ave., Suite 1550, Phoenix, AZ 85012
- Versión en español
If your Leak Detection Test (Section 1) indicated a continuous leak, consider using the Isolation Method to discover the leak location. This is often the quickest way to locate ongoing, hard-to-find leaks. This guide assumes one leak for ease of demonstration; however, you may have more than one continuous leak.
Do not use water or operate any water-using devices in or around your home during the test. You will first check the service line, then isolate systems or watering-using devices as appropriate and finally, you may need to do visual inspections.
Check all other hose bibbs and/or outdoor faucets for dripping water and/or wet spots.
A gate valve opens by turning the handle left (counter clockwise) to start water flow and closes by turning it right (clockwise) to stop water flow.
A ball valve opens by turning the handle parallel to the water line to start water flow and closes by turning it perpendicular to the water line to stop water flow.
Shut-off valves may fail or break if they are old or corroded. You should only turn shut-off valves by hand.
The service line is an underground pipe that carries water from your water meter to your home. These steps will prevent water from flowing to all other areas of your property while keeping your service line full of water and pressurized.
To check the service line: Do not turn off the water supply at the water meter. The service line must remain full of water and pressurized during leak checks. The service line will continually refill with water if a leak is present.
Find the house (main) shut-off valve on the water supply riser, generally located in the front or on the side of the house below the hose bibb, and turn to the “off” position. (See examples 1b and 2b.)
Look at your plumbing setup. Do you see any water supply lines that bypass the house shut-off valve? (See Example 2b.) If so, turn the shut-off valve to the “off” position as well. Note: a small amount of water may “squirt” from the backflow prevention device when you turn “off” the valve.
No other areas of your property should have water flow. To verify you may want to:
Use your water meter to perform a Leak Detection Test (Section 1).
Turn the shut-off valve(s) back to the “on” position.
It is the homeowner’s responsibility to find and repair leaks on the homeowner’s side of the meter box. If you need the water supply shut off at the water meter, contact your water provider for instructions.
These steps will isolate the irrigation system by preventing water from flowing through it.
These steps will isolate the pool system by preventing water from flowing through it.
See Section 2, Swimming Pools and Spas, for more pool checks.
Some irrigation and pool systems do not have dedicated shut-off valves. If this is the case, you may be able to use the backflow prevention device to isolate the irrigation and/or pool systems.
As with the irrigation system and pool, you can isolate all water-using devices that have a water supply shut-off or bypass valve. Items of special note are reverse osmosis (RO) systems, clothes washers, humidifiers, icemakers, water heaters, evaporative coolers, water features and water softeners.
Each time you stop water from flowing to a water-using device, perform a Leak Detection Test (Section 1). If your water meter no longer records water use, you have discovered a leak. You may leave the water supply shut-off valves in the "off" position until all isolation tests are complete.
Turn off all water supply or bypass valves except for the house (main) valve. If the water meter still indicates water usage, do the following:
- Go outside your house and check all water supply pipes outside your home. Supply pipes are full of water and pressurized, often hidden from view and can leak continually. Look for wet spots, small holes and depressions in your yard, as they may indicate an underground water leak.
- Inspect your property along the water supply routes from the house shut-off to your pool autofill water supply shut-off valve.
- Inspect your property from the house shut-off valve to the irrigation water supply shut-off valve.
- Go inside your house and look for damp spots and water stains on the ceiling and walls.
- Check for "hot spots" on the floor after running hot water to nearby fixtures as this could indicate a leaking hot water pipe under the concrete slab. Most interior pipe leaks occur on hot water supply lines due to expansion/contraction from temperature changes.
You may need to use the services of a professional plumber or contractor who provides leak detection services if you cannot discover the leak location.
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