Leak Detection Downtown Spanish Fork

• Galvanized pipe. Many older homes still have galvanized steel lines that rust from the inside, which narrows the pipe and eventually leaks.
• Aged copper. Copper added in past remodels has carried very hard city water for decades, which wears it thin and leads to pinholes.
• Old service lines. The line from the meter to the house may be the original, and old lines leak at joints and rusted spots.
• Mixed materials. Galvanized, copper and PEX are often joined in one house, and every transition is a possible leak point.

These clues come up often in older homes near Main Street.

• Rusty or brown water. Discolored water when you first open a tap often comes from galvanized pipe rusting inside. It usually means the line is wearing thin and closing up.
• Low pressure at every tap. Weak flow across the house points to galvanized lines narrowing with rust, or an old service line leaking before water reaches the house.
• High water bill. A high water bill Downtown Spanish Fork homeowners can't explain often comes from an old service line or a pinhole leaking where no one can see it.
• Damp spot in an old basement. A wet spot on a stone or block basement wall can mean a supply line inside the wall. A basement leak Downtown Spanish Fork homes get often starts at an old joint.
• Stain on plaster walls. Older plaster can hide a leak for a long time. A brown ring or soft spot often means a leak in wall Downtown Spanish Fork homes have carried for weeks.

We cover the older blocks of town, in the 84660 ZIP code.

• Homes along Main Street and Center Street
• Blocks around Spanish Fork City Hall and the library
• Older bungalows on the side streets off Main Street

• The rusted service line. Low pressure and a damp front yard turn out to be an old galvanized line leaking near the sidewalk.
• The plaster wall stain. A copper pinhole behind a bathroom wall leaves a soft brown spot in old plaster.
• The basement sewer smell. A cracked cast iron line under the basement floor lets odor in.
• The frozen back porch line. A burst pipe Downtown Spanish Fork homes get in January splits a line in an old enclosed porch.

Any old pipe leak Spanish Fork homeowners find gets the same pinpoint first approach.

• Know what pipe you have. A quick look at exposed pipe in the basement tells you if galvanized is still in use.
• Watch for rusty water. It is an early clue that galvanized lines are near the end.
• Know your shutoffs. Older homes may have stiff valves, so test them before you need them.
• Insulate older walls. Older homes can have less insulation, so protect lines on outside walls before winter.
• Dial 811 first. Blue Stakes marks buried utilities before yard work.