Leak detection on Tanque Verde acreage and well properties
Tanque Verde is on the northeast side of the Tucson valley, in ZIP code 85749. Lots here commonly run from an acre to several acres, many are zoned for horses, and water supply varies from one parcel to the next.
Some properties are on city water. Others draw from a private or shared well, and many are on septic systems.
2 things set leak detection here apart from work in town.
There's a lot more pipe. A single buried line may leave the house or well and feed a barn, a tack room, corrals, automatic stock waterers, yard hydrants, a guest house, and an irrigation system. Much of it was added over the years by different owners, and it's rarely mapped.
On a well, there's no meter to tell you. In town, the first test for any leak is watching the water meter.
A private well has none. The signs are different, and so is the way the loss is measured.
Signs of a water leak on a private well
- The well pump runs when no water is being used, or kicks on every few minutes. A pump should only start when pressure in the tank drops, and with everything off, pressure should hold.
- The pressure gauge at the tank falls steadily with all fixtures closed.
- The electric bill has gone up with no other explanation. A pump that runs all day uses a lot of power.
- Pressure in the house is weaker or surges.
- A green or muddy patch appears along the route to an outbuilding or corral.
A simple check: turn off every fixture, note the gauge reading at the pressure tank, and come back in 30 minutes without using water. If the needle has dropped, water is leaving the system.
A failed check valve at the well can cause the same symptom, which is one of the things testing has to rule out. A pump that cycles nonstop wears out early, so a leak on a well system costs you in equipment as well as water.
Common water leaks on Tanque Verde properties
Underground water lines to barns, corrals, and hydrants
These are usually plastic pipe, sometimes laid shallow. They get driven over by trucks and trailers, stepped on by horses near waterers, and cracked by the occasional hard freeze where they come above ground.
Frost-free yard hydrants leak below grade when their drain or plunger wears out. Locating a leak on these lines uses the methods on our underground water line leak detection page.
Automatic waterers and troughs
A float valve that sticks open overflows quietly, and animals keep the area wet anyway, so it goes unnoticed. These are checked first because they're quick to rule in or out.
Irrigation leaks on trees and pasture
Larger properties often irrigate shade trees, gardens, or turnout areas on long runs. See irrigation leak detection.
Slab leaks and leaks at the house
The house itself is usually a ranch-style home on a slab, with the same under-floor risks as anywhere in Tucson. See slab leak detection.
Running toilets on septic
On a septic system, a toilet that runs constantly does more than waste water. It sends a continuous flow into the tank and leach field, which can saturate the field. If you're on septic and suspect a leak, check the toilets first with a few drops of food coloring in each tank.
How we find a leak on a large property
Size is handled by dividing the system. Starting at the meter or the pressure tank, we close valves branch by branch: the house, each outbuilding, the hydrant line, irrigation. Pressure is watched after each one.
When closing a valve stops the loss, the leak is on that branch. If valves are missing, the first recommendation may be to add 1 or 2, because it shortens every future search.
The leaking branch is then traced and listened to along its length, and tracer gas is used where the pipe is plastic and the leak is quiet. We mark the leak and tell you the pipe material and approximate depth. Leak Detective doesn't excavate or repair, so the fix is done by your plumber, well contractor, or whoever maintains the property.
Search time on acreage depends heavily on how much line there's and how well it can be isolated. Tell us what you know when you call. We bring the same approach here as we do to the rest of our work as a leak detection company serving Tucson: measure the loss, narrow it down, then pinpoint it.
Leak detection near Tanque Verde
West of Tanque Verde, the lots get smaller and the ground gets steeper. For hillside properties north of River Road, see leak detection in the Catalina Foothills.
Leak detection questions from Tanque Verde property owners
How can I tell if I have a leak when I am on a well and have no meter?
Turn everything off and watch the pressure gauge at the tank for 30 minutes. If pressure drops, or the pump starts with no water in use, the system is losing water somewhere. It can be a leak or a failed check valve at the well, and testing separates the two.
Can you find a leak on a long line out to a barn or corral?
Yes. The branch is isolated to confirm it's the one leaking, then traced and listened to along its route. Long plastic lines often need tracer gas to confirm the exact spot.
Do you work on well pumps or pressure tanks?
No. We locate leaks in the piping. If testing points to the pump, check valve, or tank, we tell you, and a well contractor handles that equipment.
My property is on city water. Is the process different?
Only the starting point. With a utility meter, the loss is measured there. The rest of the search, branch by branch, is the same.