clipped



The amount of water will soon cost more than a
plumber )



That would take a lot. I had a full break on a 3/4" line from my meter
that dumped 12,000 gallons overnight before I found it, and that only
cost like $60 extra. I doubt you'd get a plumber to show up for $60,
much less do anything.


I've always lived where public water supply was relatively expensive.
Here is one example:

* *TOILET* with chain under flapper
o 1.6 gallons per minute
o 96 gallons per hr (.13 units)
o 2,304 gallons per day (3.08 units)
o *69,120 gallons per month (92.4 units*)*
o *Total cost - $414.12 per month!*

Presently, my city charges roughly $5 per thousand gallons for potable
water. At the rate
the OP thought was leaking, it comes out to $10 per day, $300 per
month. Since that is
money totally wasted, calling a plumber quickly changes from "last
resort" to a good idea.
I don't have money to waste, but locating the problem quickly is
primary, not only for cost
but to prevent damage. Smashing one square of a sidewalk also starts to
sound like a
good idea, based on the fact that OP thinks the leak might be there. If
the soil beneath it
is scoured out, it could cave at some inopportune time. I'm the worrier
in our household,
but I've kept my husband from killing himself at least three times.
"Honey, what's that smell?"
"I don't smell anything." Five minutes later the car stalls -
overheated. "Honey, what's that
noise?" "I don't hear anything." He was cranking the line for main
sail on the sailboat,
strong enough to either break the line or demast the boat. The line had
snagged and he
wasn't pulling the sail up, he was pulling the mast and the sound was
the mast creaking
.. "Honey, why does the car make that thumping noise?" "What noise?"
Tire bulging and ready to blow. He still drives like he
has a flashing blue light on top of the car, but hasn't had one for a
long time )