Plumbing Leak Detection
Plumbing leak detection looks at the system as a whole — supply, fixtures, drains and appliances — rather than assuming the first suspicious spot is the answer.
Four Systems, Four Different Tests
- Pressurized supply: leaks constantly, registers at the meter, produces acoustic noise
- Drain, waste and vent: leaks only during use, does not register at the meter, often tested by filling and observing
- Fixtures and appliances: silent water loss through toilet flappers, valve cartridges, ice makers and softener regeneration cycles
- Water heaters and connections: seepage at fittings, relief valves and tank seams that can look like a floor or wall leak
Fixture Losses People Miss
A toilet flapper that seals imperfectly can pass a surprising volume of water down the drain, silently, all day. A water softener stuck in regeneration does the same. Neither produces visible water anywhere, and both can imitate a hidden leak on a bill.
These are checked early because they are inexpensive to rule out and because finding one avoids an unnecessary search of the structure.
When Symptoms Point to the Structure
If fixtures are ruled out and the loss continues with the house isolated, attention moves to the concealed portions of the system: under-slab runs, wall cavities, ceiling runs and buried yard piping. From that point the work is the same as any hidden-leak investigation — narrow the area, corroborate the reading, mark the spot.
Not sure where the water is coming from?
Describe what you are seeing and we can explain how the investigation would be approached on your property.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 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.
- 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.
Related Pages
For the wider picture, see our overview of leak detection services in Tampa.