# Underground pex leak from a house to pool house. Buried 3 ft underground below 100amp



## Mbagaglia (Apr 24, 2017)

Hi everyone. Asking for help or suggestions on finding a leak in 1" pex line running from a house to a pool house which is sitting on a concrete slab ( pex runs under it). The pex line in under the frost line (about 3 ft buried) and the pex line is also under a 100 amp service line that is in conduit. They were laid at same time.
There are no leaks from the source in the house to the outside, and there are no leaks in the pool house. The only way we know there is a leak is because the well pump turns on more often than usual when the outside pex line is turned on.
There is probably about 90 ft or more of pex buried 3ft down. Have no idea where to start or how to find general location of leak. There are no wet spots showing up on surface of ground.
Any help would be appreciated. The pex is not in any conduit.
Thanks ahead of time!


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Call a leak detection company, that's what they do.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

Acoustic detector.

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## slowsol (Aug 27, 2005)

Is 3' deep enough in your area? We can't bury a water line less than 5' up here. 


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## Mbagaglia (Apr 24, 2017)

Yes, 3ft deep is considered below the frost line in my area.
Although I blow the lines out every fall regardless.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

I'd put a temporary meter on the line feeding the pool house just to make damn sure I have a leak before I started digging crap up.


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## Sir Mixalot (Jan 6, 2008)

Introduce pressurized air from an small air tank into the waterline and listen for the bubbles. :thumbsup:


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## griz (Nov 26, 2009)

Sir Mixalot said:


> Introduce pressurized air from an small air tank into the waterline and listen for the bubbles. :thumbsup:


from 3' down....:whistling

all i could find was a pic from Tin's Christmas card, but you get the idea...:thumbup::thumbup::laughing:


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

I would disconnect the line and pressure test it with air and keep a gauge on it


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## mstrat (Jul 10, 2013)

https://www.youtube.com/embed/95A8VbMcNF4

(Thanks TNT)


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## Srloren (Jun 12, 2017)

*Be Careful*

If your water line is under an electrical line it is not installed correctly. When you install a water line and an Electrical conduit in the same ditch, its a good practice for the ditch to be at least 12" wide (someone qualified will correct me if I am wrong) and the water line should be on top but to the side on a shelf. Place the conduit on the other side of the ditch. That way you have access to it if needed.


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## P42003 (Jun 15, 2016)

Sir Mixalot said:


> Introduce pressurized air from an small air tank into the waterline and listen for the bubbles.


Is this why they require backflow preventers back out to the curb?


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## DaVinciRemodel (Oct 7, 2009)

Like Griz said… Call a leak detection company. We had a leak between a pool and the filter/heater (about 75’ of pipe). I think the guy filled the lines with helium. 

He found the leak in about 45 minutes. Collected his check for $450. And I hired someone to dig it up (Paul doesn’t dig!). The locate was right on the $ :thumbsup:


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## Fouthgeneration (Jan 7, 2014)

Why not insert a 3/4" pex inside the 1".......:thumbsup:


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## Ernie in Dawson (Jun 16, 2017)

Disconnect both ends, cap one, put a test gauge on the other and put 120 psi into and see if it holds or leaks first. If it leaks, then move on to plan B, locating and replacement.I agree about burying different lines in the same trench.Why even do it. Just a big headache to dig up if something goes wrong like this.
Another possibility is the connections going into the pump allowing a little air infiltration and losing prime. Might not even show up as a wet spot. Just sucking air. That is why I would air test first. The chances of the pex line failing (unless it froze which seems unlikely) are pretty slim, imo.


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