Leak Detection

Signs of a hidden leak

• A bill clearly higher than the same season last year
• A brown ring on a ceiling under a bathroom
• Baseboards swelling, or flooring that has cupped or lifted
• A musty odour in one closet or cabinet
• The sound of running water with every tap closed
• Low pressure at one fixture that used to be fine

Reading your water meter

Your meter is the cheapest leak detector in the house. Close every tap and make sure no appliance is filling. Note the reading, including the small dial or low-flow indicator many meters have. Wait an hour without using any water and check it again. If it has moved, water is leaving the plumbing somewhere. Next, close the toilet supply stops and repeat; if the meter now stays still, the leak is a toilet.

Pressure and acoustic tests

To narrow a leak down, we isolate parts of the system and watch a pressure gauge. A section that loses pressure while closed contains the leak. Listening equipment picks up the hiss of water escaping under pressure through walls and slabs. Thermal imaging shows the cool shadow of evaporating water behind drywall, and a moisture meter confirms it. Together these let us point to a spot on the wall or floor rather than guessing.

Opening walls only where needed

Once the leak is pinned down, we cut a neat, small opening right over it, make the repair and leave the opening clean and square so a drywall finisher can patch it easily. Behind a tiled shower we look first for an access panel from the next room or closet. Slab leaks under concrete floors take more planning; sometimes rerouting the line through a wall or ceiling is simpler than breaking concrete.