What if the leak is in your sewer line? That’s a whole different level of gross. But here’s a trick: flush some toilet dye tablets or even food coloring down the toilet. Don’t use the water for a few hours. If you see colored water pooling in your yard, you’ve got a sewer leak. Yikes. Call a pro immediately. You don’t want to DIY that one.
Unless you have a hazmat suit and a strong stomach. In that case, you do you, friend.
How Does a Plumber Find a Water Leak Underground: Techniques and Tools
When to Use a Thermal Camera
Okay, so you’ve done the listening, the meter check, and you’ve even done the dye test. Still no luck? Enter the thermal camera. This is the grown-up version of playing detective. A thermal camera sees heat, or in this case, cold spots in the ground where the water is leaking. It lights up like a neon sign. It’s almost cheating.
You can rent one from a hardware store. Or you can befriend a plumber who owns one. I recommend beingfriend the plumber. They’re usually pretty chill, and they come with a van full of cool tools.
