Underground leak?

Question

I came home from the beach to a bathroom covered in water..Welcome home....I have shut the water off now.When the water is on, I can hear a noise.It sounds almost as if a shower is on in the house or something.I'm not dying to pay for a service call right now. Does anyone know of a way to detect the leak and fix it? I've looked outside near the bathroom and there is not any watery areas. It seems it's leaking right under the bathroom floor. Oh ya by the way, yes I have copper pipes.Any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks.

Answer 1

Yikes!   I would start by checking the toilet area.  If your water heater is in bath, check also.  Check all tap fixtures and visable pipes first. Then I would remove the flange from the shower head and look in the hole to see or listen for a leak.  If the shower pipe is completely behind tile and can't be reached... hum.  

If your house is on the beach, it's most likely on stilts and you did not see any water outside but only on the bathroom floor.   The sound of water when it's turned on baffles me.  Makes me think it's the water heater. Water on the floor, water tank empitied, water turned on, tank fills which could explain the noise.  

You can purchase a product called Leak Tech to check for leaks.  It's basically a soap solution.    If you can reach your pipes, you spray the leak tech on the pipe and it will bubble at the leak. Maybe leak tech is use for air leaks?  I'm not sure but ask the hardware store.  

Eventually, you find the leak.  My shower had a leak  (it was behind drywall). I did not hear the leak but noticed the water stain. I removed the dry wall and found the leak.  Used some liquid metal to patch the pipe.  Mister genius came right behind me and replaced the drywall.  See where I'm going?  The pipe still leaked.  So I purchased a rubber clamp at the hardware store and it worked like a champ.  The clamp is specifically made for water pipe leaks.  Copper pipes are EXPENSIVE!  

Hope this helps.  Good luck!

OOPS!  you said you returned from the beach - not that your house was on the beach.  No matter, I still think it's the water tank.

Answer 2

Sorry for your welcome home present.  Have you checked under the sink and the toilet supply line to make sure a supply line didn't come loose or the connections for the tub?  Check all the obvious places especially fixtures that have flex able hoses such as washer supply lines and ice maker connections.

Answer 3

First thing to do is turn off the main water supply--that will prevent further damage if the water is actively leaking, and it sounds like that's the case. Here's where to find shutoffs:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/...

Now you have to find the problem. You didn't say what type of floor system you have but if you can get under the floor (basement or crawlspace) you may spot where the problem is.  Could be a failed fitting or a leak in the pipe itself.  If you have a slab foundation and the pipes run underground, check outside for signs of disturbed earth or unusual wetness.

According to This Old House plumber Richard Trethewey, leaks in copper pipe can generally be traced back to a problem with the way the pipes were installed or to the water itself. Here's why:

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/asktoh/q...

Once you locate the problem you'll know whether it's something you can handle or if it's something better left to a plumber.

Answer 4

Easiest way is to dry the floor ;have someone turn on the water;go to where it first appears'

Answer 5

I take it that you have NO basement!!???  How bout a crawlspace under the house??? Do what I think tomcat suggested, with the checking all the connections and such. As well as under the Home too!! it would be nice if someone was there to turn on the water and turn it off as soon as you found the leak!! else you need to just crack it open just a bit, it will leak but not as quick so you can run around all the places to try and locate the sorce of the leak.... once found either call a pro- or if you can fix it yourself then do it!!!

Since we do not know what is broke we can't really give you any real good tips as how to fix it!!! Other than if it is copper pipes you need a torch, flux, solider, fittings, sandpaper(for cleaning or steelwool) so Good Luck!!