Signs of a hidden water leak
- Your water bill went up noticeably with no change in how you use water
- The water meter's leak indicator (a small dial or triangle) turns while every fixture is off
- Brown stains or bubbling paint on a ceiling, especially under a bathroom
- Warped or soft flooring near a toilet, tub, dishwasher or refrigerator
- A musty smell or mold in a cabinet, closet or crawlspace
- The sound of running water when nothing is on
- Lower water pressure than usual
- Water pooling on a basement floor or crawlspace vapor barrier
Check for a leak yourself with the meter test
Turn off every faucet, appliance and irrigation zone, then look at the water meter. If the leak indicator is moving, water is going somewhere.
Write down the meter reading, wait an hour without using any water, and check again. If the number changed, there's a leak.
Then shut off the main valve at the house and watch the meter. If it stops, the leak is inside the house.
If it keeps moving, the leak is in the water service line between the meter and the house. Before calling, check every toilet: a flapper that doesn't seal is the most common cause of a silent leak and is a simple fix.
How professional leak detection works
Isolating the system
The plumber separates the plumbing into sections, such as hot side and cold side, or individual branches, and pressure tests each. A section that can't hold pressure contains the leak.
Pinpointing the spot
Acoustic listening equipment picks up the sound of water escaping a pressurized pipe through floors and walls. Thermal imaging helps trace hot water leaks, which show as warm areas.
Moisture meters confirm where drywall, framing or subfloor is wet. In homes with an accessible basement or crawlspace, much of this is visual: following the pipe to the drip.
Repairing the leak
The leaking section is cut out and replaced. Damaged copper is repaired with new copper or transitioned to PEX; leaking fittings on polybutylene are replaced, though a home with repeated polybutylene leaks is better served by repiping.
Drain leaks, such as a cracked tub drain or a failed toilet wax ring, are repaired at the fixture. The repair is pressure tested before any opening is closed up.
Crawlspaces, basements and red clay: where Canton leaks hide
Canton is hilly, so many homes are built on a crawlspace or a walkout basement rather than a flat slab. That's good news for leak repair: supply and drain pipes usually run where a plumber can reach them without cutting into concrete. The downside is that a slow leak in a crawlspace can go unnoticed for months, because hardly anyone goes down there.
The red clay soil under most of Cherokee County holds water and dries slowly, so a damp crawlspace isn't always a plumbing problem. Groundwater, poor grading and gutter runoff can all wet the soil too.
A meter test separates the two: if the meter is still, the water is coming from outside, and a drainage contractor is the right call rather than a plumber. If the meter moves, follow the pipe.
What affects the cost of leak detection and repair
- How hidden the leak is. A visible drip in a crawlspace needs little detection. A leak inside a finished wall or under a floor takes more testing to pinpoint.
- Access to the pipe. Opening drywall is less work than removing tile or cutting a slab.
- Pipe material. Some materials can be patched in place; others mean replacing a longer run.
- How many leaks. Aging copper with pinhole leaks and old polybutylene often fail in more than one place.
- Restoration. Patching drywall, flooring and tile is separate from the plumbing repair.
When a leak becomes an emergency
- Water is dripping through a ceiling or a ceiling is sagging
- Water is pooling and spreading on a floor
- You can hear water running in a wall and the meter is spinning fast
- Water is reaching electrical outlets, fixtures or the panel
Shut off the main water valve and call our emergency plumber. A slow leak that shows only on the meter or as a small stain can be scheduled, but shouldn't be left for weeks; wood framing and subfloor rot and mold grows in that time.
After a leak repair
Recheck the meter a day or two after the repair to confirm it's still. Let wet areas dry completely before closing walls or replacing flooring; a dehumidifier speeds it up.
If the leak came from a pipe that has failed before, ask about the condition of the rest of the system. Leak repair is a routine part of our work as a plumber in Canton, GA, and older homes like those in Downtown Canton tend to need it more often.
Leak detection questions
Can you find a leak without tearing up my walls?
Usually the leak can be pinpointed closely enough that only a small opening is needed. Testing narrows it to a section of pipe, and listening equipment, thermal imaging and moisture readings narrow it further.
Why is my water bill high if I don't see a leak?
The most common causes are a running toilet, an irrigation system leak, or a leak in the service line under the yard. The meter test described on this page tells you whether the leak is inside the house or between the meter and the house.
Does the City of Canton adjust bills for leaks?
Some water utilities offer a one-time adjustment after a repaired leak, but policies vary by provider and change over time. Ask your water provider directly, and keep the plumber's invoice showing the repair.
Is a small ceiling stain urgent?
If it isn't growing and not wet to the touch, it can be scheduled. Mark its edge with a pencil; if it spreads past the mark, treat it as active and call sooner.