# Water Leak / Slab Foundation - Help!



## Tweedle_Dee (Feb 18, 2012)

We received our water bill the other day and it was 4 times the usual expense.  Actually, this is the 2nd month it's been high.  The first time I thought it was because of a leaky toilet that I fixed in early January.  But no, we definitely have a water leak somewhere.  

Here is what I know:
With all faucets off, I can see the water meter moving.  Closing off the main supply causes the meter to stop.  Both toilets shut off makes no difference.  

We are using ~2500 cf of water per month instead of the average 800.

A guy came to look yesterday and taped out everywhere our supply pipes are underground and under the slab.  He thinks the leak is NOT under the slab because there is no moisture coming up through the slab that any of us can detect.  

We had an electrical wire put in a trench this summer that crosses the supply line.  We were theorizing that perhaps they nicked the pipe and eventually caused it to leak.  So I dug a hole near the intersection, but the dirt doesn't appear to be abnormally wet in that area.  Not exactly sure what to expect however.  This is western Oregon by the way.

Any thoughts on how I can figure out where the leak is?  Does water normally come up through the slab when there is a leak as he suggested?  Any help would be appreciated!

Alan


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## 1jackguy (Feb 19, 2012)

you can have water lick under the slab and not have water come up cause it is gone down in the ground Turn off the hot water at hot water heater and look at your water meter hot water pipes deterate under slap sooner  Now you get to cut up the floors and or run pipes over head. moisture meter give false read cause the water under your house is seeping all over the under side and they will pick up your water pips.


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## Tweedle_Dee (Feb 19, 2012)

I turned off both water heaters and the meter still spins.  I dug down to examine the water pipe I thought they had damaged but it looks okay.  Damn.


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## nealtw (Feb 19, 2012)

Is it just the main that is under the slab? Can the other plumbing be re-routed with out digging up the floor? Have you dug up the outside where the main enters the house to see if there is water there.


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## 1jackguy (Feb 20, 2012)

In some cases the water line run just under the floor but most are under the slab Our hot water went first then about 3 years later the cold. We have run all the plumbing over through the attic and down the wall to were there needed.  We used the PEX plumbing .


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## Tweedle_Dee (Feb 21, 2012)

We had a leak detector specialist over this morning.  It took him quite a while to find the leak, but he finally did.  Turns out it was leaking from a home plumbing job someone did to supply water to the "pot room."  Previous owners used medicinal Marijuana in the garage LOL.  Thank god no jack hammer is required.


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