Leak Detection FAQs

Each answer links to the page that covers the subject in more depth.

Is water leak detection the same as leak repair?

No. Detection is the diagnostic step: proving there is a loss and locating it. Repair is a separate scope that depends on the pipe, the material and the access required. More on water leak detection

Can a leak exist without the meter moving?

Yes. Drain, waste and vent leaks and some pool or roof-related water intrusion will not register at the meter because that water is not pressurized supply water. More on water leak detection

How do I know if I have a slab leak?

The strongest early indicators are meter movement with all fixtures off, an unexplained bill increase, and a warm spot on the floor. Any one of those on a slab-built home justifies a detection visit. More on slab leak detection

Can leak detection find leaks under concrete?

Yes. Acoustic listening through the slab, combined with pressure isolation and thermal scanning, is the standard approach for locating a leak under concrete without exploratory demolition. More on slab leak detection

Is a slab leak an emergency?

It is rarely a flood, but it is continuous. Water under a slab can undermine soil and saturate flooring over time, so it should be located promptly rather than monitored indefinitely. More on slab leak detection

How do you find a hidden water leak?

By proving continuous loss at the meter, isolating systems until one fails to hold, then narrowing the location with moisture mapping, thermal scanning and acoustic listening before opening any finish. More on hidden leak detection

Could a musty smell be the only symptom?

Yes. Persistent musty odor in one area with no visible water is a common presentation of a slow concealed leak, and it is worth investigating before finishes are damaged further. More on hidden leak detection

Can a water leak be underground with no wet spot?

Yes, and it is common in sandy soil. Water drains away from the leak rather than pooling, so meter behavior and pressure testing matter more than visual inspection. More on underground leak detection

Can you find a leak under a driveway?

Buried lines under concrete and pavers are located the same way as open ground — route tracing, acoustic listening at contact points and pressure isolation — so that any opening made is as small as possible. More on underground leak detection

Can a leak reduce my water pressure?

A significant supply or service line leak can, because water is escaping before it reaches your fixtures. Pressure loss at every fixture points at the main or service line; pressure loss at one fixture usually points at that fixture. More on plumbing leak detection

Do you test drains as well as supply lines?

Drain leaks are investigated differently, since they only leak while water is flowing. Confirming whether a leak is use-dependent is one of the first things we establish. More on plumbing leak detection

Can you tell what caused the pipe to fail?

Often the pattern and location suggest a cause — external corrosion, erosion at a fitting, mechanical damage — but confirmation usually comes once the pipe is exposed. More on pipe leak detection

Who is responsible for the line between the meter and the house?

That portion is typically the property owner's responsibility, while the utility maintains its side of the meter. Confirm with your utility, since responsibility boundaries vary. More on water line leak detection

Can irrigation be the actual cause?

Frequently. Irrigation piping is often teed off ahead of the house shutoff, so an irrigation leak looks exactly like a service line leak until the irrigation supply is isolated. More on water line leak detection

How can I tell if my pool has a leak?

Run a bucket comparison test over a fixed interval. If the pool level drops noticeably faster than the reference container, the loss is more than evaporation and is worth investigating. More on pool leak detection

Is losing an inch a week normal?

It depends on weather, sun exposure, wind and whether you run water features or a heater. Rather than relying on a rule of thumb, compare your pool against a reference container under the same conditions. More on pool leak detection

Does a leaking shower always mean opening the wall?

No. Moisture mapping, pan testing and supply isolation usually identify the mechanism first, so access is opened in one place for a known reason. More on bathroom leak detection

What does a water stain on the ceiling mean?

It means water accumulated in the cavity above and found an exit. The source is typically uphill of the stain — plumbing, an air handler condensate line, or roof intrusion. More on ceiling leak detection

Can a wall leak exist without visible staining?

Yes. A slow leak can wet framing and insulation for a long time before it reaches the drywall face, which is why odor and meter behavior are meaningful early signals. More on wall leak detection

Is a foundation leak the same as a slab leak?

Not necessarily. A slab leak is a plumbing failure under the concrete. A foundation leak often refers to water entering at or through the foundation from outside. The tests that separate them are straightforward. More on foundation leak detection

Can testing be scheduled after hours?

Isolation testing that interrupts water service is usually best scheduled outside operating hours. Non-invasive survey work can generally be done while a space stays open. More on commercial leak detection

Can you determine which tenant's plumbing is leaking?

Where the building can be isolated by section or riser, yes. Where plumbing is shared and not isolatable, we document what can be proven and what cannot. More on commercial leak detection

What is electronic leak detection?

It is the use of amplified and electronic instruments — listening equipment, locators and moisture meters — to sense and pinpoint a leak through concrete, soil or finishes without opening them first. More on electronic leak detection

What is acoustic leak detection?

It is the practice of locating a leak by listening for the turbulent noise pressurized water makes as it escapes, using amplified microphones and contact probes to find where that sound is strongest. More on acoustic leak detection

Does it work on drain lines?

Not usually. Drains are not pressurized, so they produce no continuous noise. They are investigated with fill-and-hold testing and camera inspection instead. More on acoustic leak detection

Can thermal imaging find water leaks?

It can reveal where moisture has accumulated behind a surface and help narrow the search, but it detects temperature patterns rather than water itself and should always be confirmed by another method. More on thermal imaging leak detection

Is infrared the same as thermal imaging?

In this context, yes — infrared cameras are thermal imagers. The terms are used interchangeably in leak work. More on thermal imaging leak detection

Does pressure testing require shutting off my water?

Yes, briefly. The section under test has to be isolated, which means water service to that section is interrupted while the test runs. More on pressure testing

Will you need to break my walls or floor?

The detection work itself is done from the surface. If access is needed to reach a located leak, it is planned deliberately and kept as small as the repair allows. More on non-invasive leak detection

What happens after a leak is located?

You receive the marked location and an explanation of what access the repair would require. Detection is the diagnostic step; repair is scoped separately based on the pipe and the access involved. More on how leak detection works

Do I need leak detection if I cannot see water?

If the meter moves with everything off, yes. Invisible leaks are the ones that do the most cumulative damage precisely because nothing forces you to act. More on signs of a hidden water leak

Can a hidden leak exist without the bill going up?

A very small leak can hide inside normal seasonal variation, and a pool auto-fill or irrigation leak can spread the cost across a bill you already expect to be high. Meter behavior is the more reliable signal. More on signs of a hidden water leak

Does a musty smell always mean a plumbing leak?

No. In Florida it can also come from air handler condensate, roof intrusion or humidity in an unventilated space. It is a reason to test, not a diagnosis. More on signs of a hidden water leak

Why is my water bill suddenly high?

Most often a silently running toilet, an irrigation fault, a pool losing water into the ground, or a concealed supply leak. The meter test with everything off is the fastest way to tell whether water is leaving continuously. More on high water bill, no visible leak

Can a small leak really cost that much?

A continuous leak runs every hour of every day. Even a small opening moves a significant volume over a full billing cycle. More on high water bill, no visible leak

Why is my water meter running when everything is off?

Because water is still leaving the system. Either something is cycling without your knowledge, or there is a leak on the pressurized side of the plumbing. More on water meter running with water off

What causes a wet spot in the yard?

Most commonly an irrigation leak or a service line leak, though drainage and drain-side problems can look similar. Meter behavior and timing separate them. More on wet spot in the yard

Should I cut the drywall to look?

Not as a first step. Cutting in the wrong place adds repair work without answering the question. Mapping and pressure testing identify the location first. More on water leak in a wall

What does a water stain on the ceiling mean?

That water collected in the cavity above and found an exit at that point. The source is generally uphill of the stain and often several feet away. More on water leak in a ceiling

Can a leak cause low water pressure?

A large enough supply or service line leak can, because water escapes before it reaches your fixtures. Smaller leaks usually raise the bill long before they affect pressure. More on low water pressure and leaks

How much water loss is normal for a Tampa pool?

It varies with weather, sun, wind and whether you heat the pool or run water features. Rather than a fixed figure, compare your pool against a reference container under the same conditions. More on pool evaporation vs. a leak

Do you repair the leak after you find it?

No. We are a detection specialist: we locate the leak, document it and explain what the repair would involve. The repair itself is performed by a licensed plumber or the appropriate trade. More on leak detection vs. leak repair

Can't a plumber just find the leak too?

Some can, and for accessible leaks that is often the efficient route. Concealed leaks under slabs, decks or soil are a measurement problem that needs isolation testing and locating equipment, which is a different skill set from pipe repair. More on leak detection vs. leak repair

Is detection worth paying for if I already know I need a repair?

If the source is visible, no. If it is concealed, detection usually costs less than the exploratory demolition it prevents, and it keeps the repair opening small. More on leak detection vs. leak repair

Do you fix the leak once you find it?

No. We locate and document the leak and explain what the repair involves; a licensed plumber or the appropriate specialty trade performs the repair. More on what happens after a leak is found

What documentation do I get?

The marked location, photographs, the line and system involved, what the readings indicated and what was ruled out — in a form you can hand to a plumber, insurer or property manager. More on what happens after a leak is found

Should the repair be verified afterward?

Where there is a measurable baseline, yes. Re-reading the meter with fixtures off, or re-running a pool comparison test, confirms the loss stopped rather than shrank. More on what happens after a leak is found

Why can't you quote a flat price?

Because the same symptom can mean a ten-minute fixture check or a multi-hour isolation and location process. Pricing follows the scope of the investigation the property actually requires. More on leak detection cost

How much does water leak detection cost?

There is no single figure, because the work varies from checking one suspected fixture to isolating and testing an entire property. The honest answer comes from describing the symptoms, the property and what has already been ruled out. More on leak detection cost

Is commercial leak detection more expensive than residential?

Usually, because commercial buildings have more zones, longer service runs, tenant access to coordinate and often after-hours scheduling. The methods are the same; the scope is larger. More on leak detection cost

Does the price include the repair?

No. We locate and document the leak; the repair is performed by a licensed plumber or the appropriate trade, and is priced separately based on pipe material, depth and access. More on leak detection cost

What if no leak is found?

The testing performed and what was excluded are reported plainly. An investigation that rules out a slab leak still costs time and equipment, and it redirects your money to the actual cause. More on leak detection cost

Does insurance cover leak detection?

Coverage varies by policy and by cause of loss. Many policies treat detection and access differently from the resulting damage, so check with your carrier and keep documentation of the findings. More on leak detection cost