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How to find a potentially leaky waste pipe Ray K 10-06-2007
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Posted by Ray K on October 6, 2007, 3:11 pm
The edges of some of my paver bricks are always damp, even though a
ceiling over them prevent rain from ever hitting them. The water meter
doesn't budge when all the faucets are off, so I suspect a leak in the
main waste pipe.

The house is on a slab, and located in central New Jersey, so the pipe
might be a couple of feet below the soil (and below the frost line).

Another winter problem is that the nearby blacktop driveway will raise
about two inches above the concrete garage floor following a couple of
weeks of below freezing temperatures. There had been a gap between the
blacktop and the garage that I just filled, so I don't yet know if
that's how the water was getting below the blacktop. Again, it may have
been leaks from the waste pipe.

Any tips for finding it?

Thanks,

Ray

Posted by Speedy Jim on October 6, 2007, 3:22 pm
Ray K wrote:
> The edges of some of my paver bricks are always damp, even though a
> ceiling over them prevent rain from ever hitting them. The water meter
> doesn't budge when all the faucets are off, so I suspect a leak in the
> main waste pipe.
>
> The house is on a slab, and located in central New Jersey, so the pipe
> might be a couple of feet below the soil (and below the frost line).
>
> Another winter problem is that the nearby blacktop driveway will raise
> about two inches above the concrete garage floor following a couple of
> weeks of below freezing temperatures. There had been a gap between the
> blacktop and the garage that I just filled, so I don't yet know if
> that's how the water was getting below the blacktop. Again, it may have
> been leaks from the waste pipe.
>
> Any tips for finding it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray

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http://www.toolexperts.com/Septic_Testing.html


Jim

Posted by willshak on October 6, 2007, 3:39 pm
on 10/6/2007 3:11 PM Ray K said the following:
> The edges of some of my paver bricks are always damp, even though a
> ceiling over them prevent rain from ever hitting them. The water meter
> doesn't budge when all the faucets are off, so I suspect a leak in the
> main waste pipe.
>
> The house is on a slab, and located in central New Jersey, so the pipe
> might be a couple of feet below the soil (and below the frost line).
>
> Another winter problem is that the nearby blacktop driveway will raise
> about two inches above the concrete garage floor following a couple of
> weeks of below freezing temperatures. There had been a gap between the
> blacktop and the garage that I just filled, so I don't yet know if
> that's how the water was getting below the blacktop. Again, it may
> have been leaks from the waste pipe.
>
> Any tips for finding it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray

My guess would be the same as I have. There is a shallow aquifer right
under your driveway and pavers.
On the driest of days there can be wet spots in the middle of my
driveway. I am 400' above sea level and on top of a hill. No one around
me is higher. I know there are no pipes under the driveway as I have a
well on the side lawn that goes directly to the house. After I first
built this house, I noticed the water near the end of my driveway and
thought it was from the neighbors above ground pool, but it wasn't. The
highway department has occasionally repaved a few feet of the road
section at the end of my driveway because it constantly crumbles away
while the rest of the road doesn't.
My asphalt driveway heaves about 1" above the concrete garage apron in
the winter. There are depressions in the asphalt where the cars sit.
When they paved the driveway, I watched the roller move over the asphalt
like it was on a thick rubber sheet.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Posted by Ray K on October 6, 2007, 4:08 pm
Ray K wrote:
> The edges of some of my paver bricks are always damp, even though a
> ceiling over them prevent rain from ever hitting them. The water meter
> doesn't budge when all the faucets are off, so I suspect a leak in the
> main waste pipe.
>
> The house is on a slab, and located in central New Jersey, so the pipe
> might be a couple of feet below the soil (and below the frost line).
>
> Another winter problem is that the nearby blacktop driveway will raise
> about two inches above the concrete garage floor following a couple of
> weeks of below freezing temperatures. There had been a gap between the
> blacktop and the garage that I just filled, so I don't yet know if
> that's how the water was getting below the blacktop. Again, it may have
> been leaks from the waste pipe.
>
> Any tips for finding it?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray

Thanks, Jim and Bill. Being a city boy always on public sewage systems,
I didn't know about such dye test powders.

I'll have to investigate the aquifer possibility. I too am above most of
my neighbors, but based on Bill's experience, that could be my problem too.

Ray

Posted by willshak on October 6, 2007, 4:17 pm
on 10/6/2007 4:08 PM Ray K said the following:
> Ray K wrote:
>> The edges of some of my paver bricks are always damp, even though a
>> ceiling over them prevent rain from ever hitting them. The water
>> meter doesn't budge when all the faucets are off, so I suspect a leak
>> in the main waste pipe.
>>
>> The house is on a slab, and located in central New Jersey, so the
>> pipe might be a couple of feet below the soil (and below the frost
>> line).
>>
>> Another winter problem is that the nearby blacktop driveway will
>> raise about two inches above the concrete garage floor following a
>> couple of weeks of below freezing temperatures. There had been a gap
>> between the blacktop and the garage that I just filled, so I don't
>> yet know if that's how the water was getting below the blacktop.
>> Again, it may have been leaks from the waste pipe.
>>
>> Any tips for finding it?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Ray
>
> Thanks, Jim and Bill. Being a city boy always on public sewage
> systems, I didn't know about such dye test powders.
>
> I'll have to investigate the aquifer possibility. I too am above most
> of my neighbors, but based on Bill's experience, that could be my
> problem too.
>
> Ray

When my house was built, they went down 325' for my well. If I'd known
about that shallow aquifer, I would have built an old type wishing well
with a bucket. My wife always wanted a wishing well to cover the well
head. Maybe I'll dig a real one on the other side of the driveway. :-)

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

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