ACME
quote:
Originally posted by walbrecht:
I live in a slab house and my water meter is showing a slow movement of water leakage continually when everything else is off. I have turned off each faucet throughout the house, and still, leak. The only time the meter does not show a leak is when I turn the main valve off or when I turn off the cold feed into the hot water heater.
You have done a great job of testing to narrow the problem down. You might want to check the temperature/pressure relief valve on the water heater. It may be piped outside or somewhere else. If it is piped out…..feel the pipe and see if it is warm/hot which might indicate a leaking valve(note:the pipe will feel warm close to the water heater so check it a foot or two away from the valve).
If it turns out to be a leak under the slab, many times the culprit is the longest hot water run…..or, the hot pipe that has to travel the furtherest distance from the water heater since it will be the pipe that expands and contracts the most.
It is really difficult to isolate a pipe that is leaking under a slab but the plumber might be able to find a manifold(point of distribution,usually several pipes that connect togeather in a wall,just above the floor line) that distributes the hot water to the various fixtures….if that leaking pipe can be isolated and disconnected…..a new one might be rerouted to the fixture without breaking up the concrete. It must be routed in a way as to avoid freezing though.
You may not be able to get around the jackhammer though…I am just assuming that you have the basic manifold system where no fittings were installed under grade.
Good luck!
