If your home has a musty odor and you're seeing more roaches and other pests, you might have a water leak somewhere. Plumbing leaks aren't always obvious, and you can't always rely on your water meter to alert you to them because the leak could be in a drain instead of a pressurized pipe. Here are some places to start looking for a plumbing leak.
Under A Sink
If you have supplies stored under your sink, you may not be able to see what's going on in there. Clean out the cabinet and feel for damp or decayed wood. If the cabinet has a strong musty odor, there's probably been water leaking in there. If the leak is in a drain, the leak only happens when you run water, but if the leak is in a water pipe, the leak will be continuous. Both types of leaks can do a lot of damage to the floor and the cabinet, so you'll want to call a plumber to make repairs as soon as you can.
Under The Slab
A slab leak is a serious matter, and you may need to call in a residential plumbing contractor to verify water is leaking under the slab and to pinpoint the location. However, there are some clues when a pipe is leaking under the slab. If you have a basement, you might see a water stain on the floor or even see a puddle of water on the floor where water seeped through the concrete.
If the basement has been wet for a while, there may be a musty odor and insects, such as silverfish, that love moisture. There may even be mold growing in the basement. If your home is built on a slab and there's a pipe leaking under it, you may notice problems with your flooring.
The carpet may always seem damp and have a bad odor. Vinyl tiles might get loose, or you may even see water on the floor and have no idea where it came from. A plumber will find the leak and either fix it or replace the pipe to put an end to the problem.
Behind A Wall
When a water pipe develops a small hole and starts dripping or spewing water behind the wall, you may not notice it right away since the water falls on the floor and rolls away. You might eventually find a soggy spot on the carpet or see mold growing on the wall.
When the water appears on the floor, it might even be in a different room from the leak, so finding the leak might be difficult. If you have a moisture meter or infrared camera, you can find a water leak easily, but if you don't, call a plumber to bring their leak detection equipment to find the leak whether it's hidden behind the wall or under the ground.
