Leak Detection in Bahama, NC

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who serves Bahama and the north end of Durham County. The first question is usually whether you're on a well or on City of Durham water, since the testing method differs. On a well, the plumber watches the pressure tank with the house shut off and then works along the line toward the wellhead. On City water, a meter test comes first.

After that, the search narrows by section: inside plumbing, the water heater, the crawl space and the buried line. Listening equipment and moisture readings help pinpoint the spot before anything is dug or cut.

What moves the price

• Well system or City water, and how long the buried line runs
• Where the leak is: pressure tank fittings, under the house, or in the yard
• Access to older farmhouse crawl spaces and foundations
• The repair itself, from a valve swap to a new section of line
• Any permit required by Durham City-County Building & Safety

Bahama's water situation

Bahama is an unincorporated crossroads village in northern Durham County, near Lake Michie. Lake Michie is Durham's main reservoir, but it supplies City customers, and the City of Durham generally provides water and sewer only after annexation and a Utility Extension Agreement. So most rural Bahama properties are on private wells and private onsite wastewater systems, with wells permitted, inspected and tested by Durham County Public Health Environmental Health.

On a well, the owner is responsible for the whole system, from the pump to every faucet. The housing ranges from 19th- and early-20th-century farmhouses along Bahama Road and Stagville Road to newer homes, so leak sources vary from worn galvanized fittings to failed plastic connections. Durham City-County Building & Safety issues plumbing permits for unincorporated Durham County too, and those permits cover private water services.

Before the plumber gets there

• Note whether the pump has been running more than usual, and when
• Check the pressure gauge on the tank and jot down the reading
• Know where the main valve and the well pump breaker are
• Look for wet ground between the well and the house
• If you're on City water, take a meter reading an hour apart with no use