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Leak Detection 101: A Guide to Common Home Water Leaks, Leak Detection, Repair & Prevention
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Water leaks in your home are more than just a nuisance; they can lead to significant damage and costly repairs. From skyrocketing water bills to the growth of mold and structural damage, leaks can quickly turn from a small problem into a major issue.
Timely leak detection is crucial in preventing further damage and minimizing repair costs. This article will guide you through the common types of home water leaks, how they are detected, and the steps you can take to address them.
Common Signs of a Hidden Water Leak (& Reason For Concern)
Many homeowners request leak detection services for various reasons. Some notice a sudden spike in their water bills, while others see visible water damage, such as stains on ceilings or walls. Moldy smells, which indicate the presence of moisture, can also be a telltale sign of a hidden leak. Ignoring these signs can lead to severe consequences, including damage to your home’s finishes, mold growth, and compromised integrity.
Common Tests & Techniques for Home Water Leak Detection
Detecting leaks involves a range of methods, from simple to advanced. Here are some common techniques used in leak detection:
- Meter Checks and Isolation Tests: These initial methods help determine if water is moving through your system when it shouldn’t be. Isolation tests are instrumental in identifying whether the leak is inside the house or in the external water service line.
- Advanced Tools: In some cases, advanced technology is required to pinpoint the exact location of a leak. Moisture meters detect the presence of water in walls, ceilings, and floors. Thermal imaging cameras identify temperature differences caused by moisture, which is particularly useful for detecting hot water leaks. Sonar leak detection equipment uses sound waves to locate leaks under slabs or within walls
Step-By-Step Leak Detection Process
Leak detection typically begins with a plumber assessing the likely area of the leak based on the symptoms observed. Here’s a step-by-step overview of how leaks are detected:
- Initial Checks: The process starts by checking the water meter to see if water is being used when no fixtures are operating. This can indicate a leak in the system.
- Isolation: The home is isolated from the main water service line to determine whether the leak is inside the house or in the yard. If the leak is outside, electronic line tracing, soil probing, and exploratory digging may be used.
- Advanced Detection: If the leak is inside the home and not immediately visible, tools like moisture meters and thermal cameras are used to locate the general area of the leak. In cases where the leak is suspected to be under a slab, sonar equipment may be employed to detect the exact location.
Handling Different Types of Water Leaks
Not all water leaks are created equally. Different types of leaks require different approaches to leak detection:
- Hot Water Leaks: Hot water leaks are often easier to detect because hot water causes noticeable temperature differences in floors and walls. If your water heater is constantly running, it may indicate a hot water leak.
- Cold Water Leaks: These are harder to detect with thermal imaging since the water temperature is closer to the ambient temperature. Cold water leaks often require more traditional methods, such as moisture meters or sonar detection, to locate.
- Subsurface Slab Leaks: Slab leaks are particularly challenging because they occur under the concrete foundation of your home. These leaks often require specialized equipment to detect and locate.
Water Leak Repair Options
Once a leak is detected, the next step is deciding on the best repair method. Depending on the location of your water leak, options could include slab repair or repiping.
- Slab Leak Repair: This involves cutting into the floor to access and repair the leaking pipe. Slab leak repairs are ideal when the leak is due to a single defect rather than widespread pipe deterioration.
- Repiping: Repiping may be the best long-term solution if the pipes are old or corroded. This involves bypassing the old pipes and installing new ones, which can prevent future leaks and extend the life of your plumbing system.
Preventing Water Leaks in Your Home
Preventing leaks is always better than repairing them. Replacing sections of corroded pipes or entire water supply lines and systems is often the safest bet because a single leak or series of leaks can be indicative of an imminent pipe failure.
Regular maintenance, such as checking for signs of corrosion and ensuring that pressure regulators are functioning correctly, can go a long way in preventing leaks. Additionally, replacing aged or incompatible piping materials before they fail can save you from costly repairs down the line.
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Professional Knowledge & Experience
At Plumbing Express, our experienced technicians bring a wealth of knowledge to each job. For instance, one recent case involved a homeowner who noticed that their water heater was constantly running. Our team used thermal imaging to confirm a hot water leak, which we successfully repaired, saving the homeowner from further damage and high utility bills.
Clear communication and transparency is a priority for us at Plumbing Express. We keep our clients informed at every step of the leak detection and repair process, ensuring they understand what’s happening in their homes and why certain actions are recommended.
If you suspect a leak in your home, don’t wait—contact us today to schedule a leak detection service. We’re here to help you maintain a safe, efficient, and leak-free home.
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With over 35 years of experience, Plumbing Express has earned the trust of homeowners across Atlanta, GA. Backed by 1,500+ reviews and a 4.9-star rating, we take pride in delivering top-quality plumbing and repiping services. See what our satisfied customers have to say about their experience with us!
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Outstanding customer service, we will definitely be using them in the future for any plumbing needs. Can’t thank them enough!
Extremely knowledgeable and very helpful. The team was excellent. The job was completed in 1 day with a great team. Very expressive.
Daniel Perez was great in coming out to check the problem I had with a water leak from my air conditioner line. His recommendation was correct.
Great and informative service while I was in a bind without a functioning water heater.
Plumbing Express is my go-to plumbing support team. They have fair pricing, well-vetted technicians, and a truly exceptional scheduling system. Rod, my technician, was the best. He quickly assessed the problem and gave a fair estimate, working hard to keep to the schedule. He even brought Josh along on the day of service, and the two of them worked well together. They addressed the bathtub drain repair with expertise and caused the least sheetrock damage. It was difficult to replace the broken pipe and get to the upstairs drain, but together they made it a success.
Once again we had some problems under our kitchen sink so we called Plumbing Express who were able to get us on their schedule pretty quickly after these storms Tim Robinson came out to do the job. Tim has been to our house for a number of different plumbing problems. He is personable & professional. As usual he did a great job even though this particular problem turned out to be far more difficult than anyone had expected. As frustrating as it was, Tim worked through it until he finished the job. We can't thank him enough.
Anthony was very competent, professional and friendly. He answered all my questions throughly. Highly recommend!
Anthony has come to my house a few times and he is always very professional, respectful of me and my home. He is also very knowledgeable in his craft.
TOTAL HOME RE-PLUMB. Our neighborhood has had so many homes experiencing water leaks (hundreds) that many of us have chosen to re-plumb before it happens. Based on my own experience speaking with four different plumbing companies, and speaking with several of our neighbors, I decided on Plumbing Express. They are knowledgeable, professional and very responsive to any questions along the way. Their price was fair and it’s one price for the whole job. You won’t have to find someone to repair and paint drywall. They have their own people or contractors to do that so your house looks perfect when they finish. I would highly recommend Plumbing Express to anyone needing to have their house re-plumbed. EDIT: Ed was the initial person I spoke to. His experience, knowledge and easygoing (non-salesman like) demeanor was greatly appreciated. Ivan was my point of contact for any questions and he was friendly and as I said, very responsive. He also installed a Moen smart valve in our home. Dylan plumbed the exterior of our home to the street while another crew did the interior re-plumbing. I’m very pleased with all of them.
We had an excellent experience with Plumbing Express. They repiped my entire home and also handled all of the drywall repair and repainting afterward. When they were finished, it honestly looked like they had never been there—everything was spotless and perfectly restored. Ed Torres, the estimator, was wonderful to work with: extremely knowledgeable, professional, and thorough in explaining the process. Ivan Del Campo was my office contact, and he was fantastic at keeping me informed every step of the way, which I really appreciated. The team of four plumbers who removed the old piping and completed the actual repipe did an outstanding job. They were professional, hardworking, and efficient, and it was clear they took pride in their work. They answered questions when needed and were respectful of my home throughout the entire process. Kenny and Waldy, did a great job on the painting and drywall. They took a house that looked like swiss cheese and now you'd never know! From start to finish, the entire team was professional, communicative, and detail-oriented. I highly recommend Plumbing Express to anyone needing major plumbing work done right. It's not fun money to spend, but if you're in need-these are the guys to call.
Daniel was very professional and transparent. Also, this is the second time he has been to my home to repair a plumbing issue and his quality of work is A plus. GOOD JOB!
Dylan did a great job. He was very professional and courteous. Would highly recommend their services.
I would recommend Plumbing Express to anyone for repiping services. I got initial quotes from 4 different plumbers for replacing PB pipe, and Ed was by far the most knowledgable, informative, and personable that I interacted with. Price was also hard to beat, especially considering the drywall repair was included. The crews that came out to work were on-time and worked quickly. The drywall repair was seamless; as many others have said, it is impossible to know there were ever any holes in the walls. Throughout the entire process, Ivan stayed in contact and communicated proactively and clearly. Any issues or concerns we had were addressed promptly. The only complaint we had was that some of the workers didn’t clean up thoroughly after themselves and left behind debris/trash. One piece left was a metal piece from a pipe that could’ve damaged our lawnmower if it hadn’t been found. In general though, the work spaces were left clean. Overall, we’re very happy with the quality of work done and customer service experience. These guys know what they’re doing.
It was an easy and professional service. Execution and customer service is really really good. Anytime again. 5 stars if prices would be a bit cheaper.
Many thanks to Dylan for all of the work he put in yesterday to replace my hot water heater. It was an absolute pleasure to meet such a kind man who completed such a laborious task in such a short timeline, both skillfully and efficiently. Great communication all around, from the office updates on arrival timelines to expected finish time. Will absolutely recommend you in the future. Thanks again for your hard work! Happy New Year!
Rod made a quick adjustment to our toilet system and explained how it all worked. Took just a few minutes. He’s a great guy, too
Dylan was so kind. Our water heater had a leak that caused some damage and he came out today to assess and give us a quote for replacement. He was very professional and knowledgeable.
Rod came to our house today to sort out an issue. He was so awesome, he smiles, he has the best manners, he’s do kind and polite and was so efficient. Love this service so much
After finding out that my home of 21 years had a leak in the slab, I discovered that the slab was full of polybutylene and I would need my entire home repiped. I spoke with three different plumbers before discovering Plumbing Express. Ivan came to my home right away and thoroughly explained the process and the cost. He answered all my questions and it was an easy choice to choose this company. The crew (Lucio, Ben, Jose and Rad) arrived on time and got the repiping done in one day. They were pleasant and did a great job. The next two days, Flaniel arrived to do the dry wall and painting. Like the crew the day before, furniture and carpet was covered to protect my home. He was meticulous and did his job like an expert. He went over and above expectations. This company has its act together ! They are not pulling subcontractors but are using their own w-2 well-trained employees. What a difference this makes!
Tim Robinson did a fantastic job for installing upgrades for my kitchen sink, shower kit and bathroom faucets and pivoted to fix an unforeseen issue that came up which he resolved
I had a wonderful experience with this company, specifically Tray! He's knowledgeable, polite and goes above and beyond to get the job done. Hire more people like Tray!!!
Thanks so much for taking care of our hot water heater! Great communication, great response time, and very polite and professional!. I will be keeping this contact number saved in my contacts for any future plumbing issues. I highly recommend this company!
Our plumber (Tim R.) came out quickly (and during the holiday season) and made it clear what needed to be done. Found the source of the leak and then patched it up quickly. Also recommended a Mitigation Service and came back a few days later for an unrelated repair. All in all, top notch service (with a smile, a few jokes and family stories included). Definitely my go to plumbing service!
Water Heater broke - had an assessment within 2 hours (Dec 23rd) and a new one installed and the old one removed within 24 hours (Dec 24th). Fair, efficient, and very good service. Daniel Perez and Mark were excellent.
Tim did a fantastic job fixing the issue with my sink. In addition he went above and beyond in informing me about other potential issues and house knowledge.
Plumbing Express answered the phone without asking to go through a whole menu of options. Even as a new customer, they sent someone more quickly than I anticipated. Anthony was prompt, courteous, and got right to the heart of my situation. He was the second plumbing opinion I received, and he offered a much simpler, more affordable, option and did not try to upsell me on unnecessarily replacing fixtures. The efficiency of the company along with Anthony's honesty and competence will bring me back to Plumbing Express for all my plumbing needs.
Plumbing Express matched my expectations. Scheduling was on-time. Their technician, Rod Anderson was knowledgeable and professional in all aspects when installing my new water heater. Thanks Rod and Plumbing Express for another great job.
I was referred by a fellow realtor to Plumbing Express. Dylan was very professional and he provided valuable information prior and after the repair. He explained everything clearly and I felt confident.
We used Plumbing Express to repipe our whole house due to polybutylene pipes that failed under our slab. The experience was five stars all the way through. Ed came and did our free estimate. He explained everything to us without the “sales pitch” pressure we experienced from another company. The onsite plumbing crew (Lucian was the lead inside and Ivan was running the new line from the street) kept us informed throughout the job and did impeccable work. Once the repipe was complete, Roberto came in and completed the drywall repairs. The walls are perfect! Ivan who coordinated from the office was also key in making this go so smooth.
I had a terrible experience with a plumber that would not work on my valve because of it being old. I contacted Plumbing Express for a second opinion and I wish I had done it sooner. They were responsive, professional and my technician Daniel walked me through all the issues and risks. He was patient with my HOA when they could not locate the main shut off valve. He was knowledgeable, professional and polite. The office staff always called me ahead. Do NOT use any other plumber, learn from my mistakes!
From the 1st phone call to Phase I of our re-piping project, we have had nothing but the utmost in professionalism and efficiency as I have ever seen! Super helpful, knowledgeable and an overall excellent company to do business with! Our project was completed perfectly by a team of amazing guys! Highly recommend!
The tech was very knowledgeable and gave me the best advice, even though he wasn’t able to complete the request as I need hvac first.
We needed to replace all the copper piping in our 29 year old house. The task was daunting however Plumbing Express did an outstanding job - every step of the way. The quote was far better than their competitors. They moved furniture and plastic covered and isolated the work area. They cut 45 holes in my ceiling and walls to run the pipe. They pressure tested to ensure no leaks. The amazing thing was they completed all the plumbing work in one day. They replaced the drywall perfectly. We can’t tell where the cuts were made. They supported us during the permit inspection and completed the items the inspector identified. Finally they cleaned up each day. Thank you Plumbing Express, Ed, Ivan, Lucio, Joe, Kiron and Rad for excellent customer service, and the job itself.
Daniel and his team did an excellent job taking out our existing hybrid water heater and installing the new tankless heater. Thank you!!
Very pleased with Rod and his service of our tankless hot water heater. He installed a new tankless that is superior to the one it replaced and did so quickly and for the estimated price
Anthony was great- he helped get to the bottom of our issues and resolved quickly- good availability and knowledge. We would use him again!!