Underground water leak repair

A leak you cannot see still has to be found before it can be fixed. Here is how buried leaks are tracked down and repaired with one small opening.

In short

Tracking down and fixing hidden leaks in buried pipe: the main yard line, sprinkler mains, and lines out to a shop, barn or pool.

Find it before you dig

Meter test. Everything off, then watch the low-flow dial. If it moves, water is leaving.
Split the system. Close the irrigation valve, then the house valve. Whichever closure stops the meter tells you which section is leaking.
Trace the line with an electronic locator or tracer wire.
Pinpoint the leak with ground microphones, or tracer gas on plastic pipe.
Mark and repair at that one spot.

Clay (Montgomery, Tennessee Valley, East Alabama): water stays near the surface. Soggy strips, mud that never dries, greener grass.
Sand (Mobile, Baldwin County): water drains away. Often no wet spot at all.
Slopes and rock (Birmingham area): water follows the trench downhill and comes up away from the break.

Sprinkler mains, lines to a shop, barn or pool, and outdoor kitchens are buried too. Each has its own valve, and each can leak the same way.

Do I need leak detection before repair?

For a hidden leak, yes. It keeps the dig small.

How urgent is a leak I cannot see?

Rarely an emergency on day one, but it never fixes itself and the bill and soil damage grow every week.

Call to talk with an independent water line repair provider serving your part of Alabama. Ask about price and timing, then decide.