Appliance leaks are often small, slow and hidden. A supply hose can weep behind a dishwasher for weeks, and by the time a floor feels soft the water has usually reached the subfloor and the cabinet base.
Installing and replacing appliances here
In Chanhassen a city plumbing permit is needed to install or replace a dishwasher or a water softener. The city reports water hardness of 21 grains per gallon and says most residents benefit from a softener, so many homes carry extra plumbing connections that deserve a look when a floor turns damp.
How the crew finds and dries the water
A moisture meter and a thermal camera show where the water went, since it rarely stays under the machine. Toe kicks come off, flooring is lifted only where it reads wet, and cabinet bases are dried in place with small air movers and a dehumidifier.
- Dishwasher and sink supply hoses
- Washing machine hoses and drain connections
- Refrigerator ice maker supply
- Water softener fittings and drain
When it reaches the level below
A leak in a second floor laundry room can drip through to the ceiling beneath it. The crew checks both levels, and a stained ceiling is dried the way a ceiling leak is. Heater leaks follow a similar path, described under water heater leaks.