How Do I Locate a Leak?

Q. There is a small wet area in the corner of our main floor living room and we are trying to figure out where the water is coming from. The wet area is seeping up from underneath the carpet and about four inches up the drywall. It is on the main floor of our house above a basement suite but I cannot seem to identify where the moisture is coming from. I have inspected the exterior and interior wall and now I am wondering what my next step should be to find the leak before tearing out walls.

A. Often leaks through walls can be a problem in basement and below grade foundation from poor drainage but considering this is above grade the water could be coming in through faulty exterior flashing or exterior siding.

Before you start ripping down walls or pulling up your flooring I would suggest you contact a company that is qualified to use Thermal Imaging with a specially designed infrared camera, that can detect water damage within walls not seen on the outer surface. Once you identify the source of the leak, you can take corrective measures to repair. Contact Shell Busey’s Home Services office at 604-542-2236 for more information.

Shell Busey