We have a leak in the pipe to our back pasture. The problem is the leak is not where we thought the pipe was located. The leak has possibly been going on a while but due to a very wet winter/spring/early summer we just realized it was a leak and not a low spot. Our soil is clay/silt mix and not easy to dig. We have narrowed it down to a 4’x4’ area for locating the pipe. The pipe only about a foot down (live in deep south so pipes don’t have to be very deep). Right now we left the water on to see where it gets wet first but other than that I am at a loss on digging in the right place. We have dug around the nearest spigot to see about where the pipe is running but it is too far away from the leak to get an accurate location. Any other suggestions?
There are pipe locating services available. No idea of cost, especially in your area. Otherwise, digging along line from known location may be the only choice. I would suggest putting a tracer wire in with the pipe if you have to dig it up. That way it can be more easily located in the future. Also put in some isolation valves, which will make it easier to narrow down leak locations in the future.
invite Bluey to douse it?
if you have a 4x4 area you are relatively sure of, get a digging.
Dig carefully, in layers, one foot deep isn’t too bad, even if you had dirt like mine, related to hardpan and concrete…
Rope it off and go to work.
If you have metal pipe you could use a metal detector…
Being only 1 foot deep the “grass should be greener” in the area. Unless you have been getting a lot of regular rain.
Even just guessing you only have to dig 1 foot. Unlike our area where it is 3 feet. Other areas 5+
The are detectors to be had. Rental yards usually have them for rent. I think they have ones that will detect a leak in “plastic pipe” by detecting large amount of moisture in the ground compared to the surrounding area. Worth making a couple of phone calls.
[QUOTE=Alagirl;8234710]
invite Bluey to douse it?
if you have a 4x4 area you are relatively sure of, get a digging.
Dig carefully, in layers, one foot deep isn’t too bad, even if you had dirt like mine, related to hardpan and concrete…
Rope it off and go to work.
If you have metal pipe you could use a metal detector…[/QUOTE]
Hey, even I make fun of that, but a while ago, we wanted to connect to an old line and had a good 100’ square to find where that pipe may be.
I walked around with the two silly bent baling wires and found exactly where that line went thru.
I would start where you see the leak and then you can follow where it is coming from by where is wet from that out.
Some leaks you can use a rod you push into the ground and so find where is soft and that will give you a direction to keep digging to the pipe.
[QUOTE=Bluey;8234826]
Hey, even I make fun of that, but a while ago, we wanted to connect to an old line and had a good 100’ square to find where that pipe may be.
I walked around with the two silly bent baling wires and found exactly where that line went thru.
I would start where you see the leak and then you can follow where it is coming from by where is wet from that out.
Some leaks you can use a rod you push into the ground and so find where is soft and that will give you a direction to keep digging to the pipe.[/QUOTE]
Any “none believers” have never been around one. A good friend of mine when I was living on Boulder Co in 70’s was the “go to Douser”. She was employed by people in all of the surrounding states. She never missed, never a “dry hole”.
The first time I gave it a try was quite amazing. I used coat hangers. I walked around my property in the foothills of Co in an area that a rig could get to. My divining rod literally swung into action and dragged my arms to the spot. The well digger was impressed that he didn’t have to go too deep to hit a strong water vein. Asked how I chose the spot and when told he said, those that have the feel rarely miss. I’ve done it several times. Big savings because you pay by the foot. But if you miss you still have to pay for the dry hole.
I might try it on my lot one time, but I already crawled around in the front yard on my stomach one day on garbage pickup…:lol:
Easy peasy! You can make a divining rod! Seriously, it works. My SO is a plumber and he saves the little flags when utility companies come out to do a mark up before a dig. The little flags are the perfect size and weight wire to make a divining rod. When we recently had to dig up our yard to repair a water main, I watched him track the path of the main with the divining rod, and then I got to do it too. The trick is to hold the rod extremely loose but upright, so it can swivel easily. It really works and its really amazing. A little scary how well it works :lol:
4’ by 4’ by 1’ is a dream, that’s really pretty small when it comes to “where’s the leak”! Hire a local high school student for $10 an hour and hand him a shovel. It’s summer, you can usually find one, often one that plays football and needs muscles from things like digging holes. for $30 you can just have him dig up the entire thing.
BTW, having played the leak game before, I would turn the water off and let things dry up as best you can for a day or two so you aren’t shoveling saturated mud. expose all the pipe in your quadrant, then turn it on so you can see what you’ve got.
