How to Detect a Water Leak Behind a Wall

According to the US Environment Protection Agency, household leaks account for water loss of one trillion gallons worldwide! Moreover, the average US household wastes more than 10,000 gallons of water every year. This is equal to 270 loads of laundry. The same source also suggests that households can save as much as 10% on their water bills but by dealing with leaks in a timely manner.

Most people assume that leaks are obvious and visible. In reality, leaks can take place and impact spots other than your faucets and toilet flappers. They could be hiding behind your wall too—so you need to know how to detect them. Here’s a small guide to help you:

Wet spots

It’s common to see wet spots on the wall of a home that’s under construction. This is because concrete that hasn’t completely set can’t resist water ingress well.

As a result, we either see wet patches or puddles of water right below the wall. However, they are a major cause for concern in old buildings. Wet patches are also common on walls near washbasins, sinks, and plumbing lines.

If ignored for too long, the all spots may start affecting the carpets and upholstery nearby.

Peeling paint

Moisture in the walls makes paint peel off and bubble. If you see this happening even though the paint is new, there might be a leak behind the wall. This happens if your walls bear water-based paint that degenerates upon coming in contact with excess moisture.

As a result, the texture of the wall changes, and it may appear stained and discolored. The texture changes because a waterlogged wall either sags downward or curves outward. This happens because drywall buckles under water weight after it reaches the saturation point.

You may also notice that the structures made from wood, such as fittings and other boards, rot from contact with water. In order to detect the exact spot of such leaks, most plumbers use a moisture meter and scan the wall with it.

This meter tells you the exact concentration of water and where it’s abundant. The spots near the location of the leak will yield a higher concentration value. To get to the root of the issue, you need to get help from a professional plumber.

Before a water leak elevates your water bills, get in touch with us and get it sorted. Pro Serve Plumbing is a plumbing service Fort Worth that offers 24 hours emergency services. Take a look at the details of our services. You can also drop us a message.