How to Know If You Have a Burst Pipe

2. Your Water Bill Suddenly Spikes

Have you received an unusually high water bill that doesn’t align with your family’s recent water usage? This is a classic sign of a hidden water leak, often caused by a persistent, leaking burst pipe.

Unexplained Increase in Water Bills

A burst pipe can be leaking water 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when all your taps are firmly shut. This continuous, unchecked water flow is dutifully registered by your water meter.

This leads to a sudden increase in your water bills that can often be shocking. If your bill has shot up without a clear reason (like filling a pool or watering new turf), it’s time to investigate for a burst pipe. Don’t ignore it; the cost of wasted water and potential water damage will far exceed the high bill itself. The financial impact is detailed in our article on how much undetected leaks cost in Perth.

Using Your Water Meter to Confirm a Leak

Your water meter is an excellent and simple tool for detecting a hidden burst pipe. To perform a check for a hidden water leak, follow these steps:

1. First, ensure every single water fixture in and around your home is turned off. This includes taps, toilets, dishwashers, washing machines, and outdoor hoses.
2. Next, locate your water meter (usually at the front of your property near the street) and take a photo or write down the exact reading.
3. Now, wait for at least one to two hours. It is critical that no one uses any water during this period.
4. Finally, check the water meter again. If the reading has changed even slightly, you could have a significant leak somewhere in your plumbing system, and a burst pipe is a strong possibility.

3. Visible Signs of Water Damage

Often, the first physical evidence of a burst pipe is the water damage it leaves behind. These visible signs are your home’s cry for help and can appear on your walls, ceilings, and floors.

Water Stains and Discolouration

Mysterious water stains or water marks appearing on your walls or ceilings are a major red flag. When a pipe bursts behind a wall, the escaping water will saturate the plasterboard, causing ugly yellowish or brownish discolouration. These damp spots can feel soft to the touch and will often grow quickly.

Peeling Paint or Bubbling Wallpaper

Excess moisture from a burst water pipe will inevitably attack your finishes. It can cause paint to bubble, peel, or flake away from the wall. Similarly, you might notice wallpaper starting to pull away at the seams. This happens because the water compromises the adhesive and damages the integrity of the surface itself.

Warped or Buckling Floors

If a burst pipe occurs under your floorboards, the excess water can cause severe damage. You might see timber floors warp and buckle, or laminate flooring begin to bubble and lift. On carpet, you might discover unexplained wet spots. These are all signs of significant water accumulation that could be rotting your subfloor and require costly repairs.

Mould or Mildew Growth

One of the most serious consequences of a hidden burst pipe is mould growth. The damp, dark, and stagnant spaces created by leaking water are a perfect breeding ground for mould and mildew.

You might see visible mould growth on walls, often in corners or behind furniture. More often, you’ll notice a persistent musty odour you can’t trace. This not only indicates a water leak but also poses a genuine health risk to your family, making it a priority for our general plumbing services to address.

4. Strange and Unusual Sounds in Your Walls

Your plumbing system should operate relatively quietly. If you start hearing strange noises coming from your walls or floors, especially when no water is being used, it could be one of the most direct tell-tale signs of a burst pipe.

Hissing or Whistling Sounds

When water is forced through a tiny crack or hole in a pipe at high pressure, it can create distinct hissing or whistling sounds. These mysterious sounds are often the noise of water spraying inside your walls and are a clear indication that a pipe has a split.

Gurgling or Dripping Sounds

Do you hear strange gurgling sounds or the constant, faint sound of dripping when no water is running? This could be the sound of water pooling, running down a support beam, or dripping inside a wall cavity from a burst pipe. While gurgling can also point to blocked drains, in combination with other signs, it strongly suggests a burst pipe.

Water Hammer Noises

A loud, violent banging noise, often referred to as a “water hammer,” can occur when you turn a tap on or off. While this can have several causes, it can also be a symptom of serious pipe issues. The high pressure and sudden changes in water flow can put immense stress on already damaged pipes, making a burst more likely.

5. Foul or Unpleasant Odours

A burst pipe doesn’t always involve your fresh water supply lines. A break in your sewer lines can also occur, leading to very different and far more unpleasant warning signs.

The Smell of Sewage

If a sewer line bursts under your home or in your garden, the most obvious sign is a foul, unmistakable smell of raw sewage. This is a serious health hazard caused by leaking sewage and requires immediate professional attention from an emergency plumber.

Musty and Earthy Smells

For a hidden burst pipe involving clean water, the standing water can become stagnant over time, creating a persistent musty odour. If you notice an unexplained earthy or damp smell, especially in enclosed areas like crawl spaces or basements, it’s very likely due to a hidden water leak.

What to Do If You Suspect a Burst Pipe

Detecting a burst pipe early is the first step. The next is taking immediate, decisive action to prevent further damage. Our blog on what to do if you have a burst pipe has more detail, but here are the essentials:

1. Shut Off the Main Water Supply: This is the absolute first thing you must do. Locate your home’s main water valve and turn it off completely to stop the water flow to the burst pipe.
2. Turn Off Your Hot Water System: To prevent your water heater’s tank from running dry and the heating element from burning out (a costly repair in itself), turn it off at the switchboard or disconnect its gas supply.
3. Call an Emergency Plumber: A burst pipe is a true plumbing emergency that will not get better on its own. You need a professional plumber on site as soon as possible.

Don’t Delay – A Burst Pipe Won’t Fix Itself

A burst pipe is a serious issue that can wreak havoc on your property, leading to significant damage and costly repairs. The problem will only get worse over time, increasing the risk of mould growth, attracting pests, and causing structural damage to your home’s foundation.

At Proud Plumbing and Gas, we specialise in locating and repairing burst pipes. Our advanced leak detection services use the latest technology to pinpoint the exact location of a hidden burst pipe, minimising the need for destructive and messy guesswork.

Our licensed and experienced team is equipped to handle any burst pipe repair in Perth, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We understand the stress and urgency of such an issue.

If you’ve noticed any of the signs of a burst pipe—from a sudden drop in water pressure to unusually high water bills or strange noises—don’t wait for the problem to escalate. Contact Proud Plumbing and Gas today for fast, reliable, and professional service.