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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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Daniel was amazing! He represented the company to the very best standards! I will dwfinitely use him again! Very Professional! Courtesy! A very positive experience! Will use in the future! Absolutely
This was my second time using Plumbing Express. Once again, I had an excellent experience with Dylan
Anthony came to my house for an ongoing problem of extremely high water bills. He quickly diagnosed and fixed the issue. Anthony has a pleasant attitude and provided great service with professionalism and care for my home and property.
Everything about my experience was A++ service. From the friendly receptionist who took our call and let us know available times to Dylan who was friendly, knowledgeable and extremely professional. He helped fix everything and left it better than ever. Great Atlanta plumber team. You will not be disappointed!
My issue was a water heater being a great distance from my kitchen sink causing water waste as I waited for hot water to reach the kitchen. Daniel was very familiar with the issue. In a very brief time, he installed a recirculating pump on my water heater and a sensor valve at my sink. I now have instant hot water where I need it. Express plumbing was very responsive to my call, arrived promptly, and Daniel did an exceptional installation job. Express Plumbing can be proud to have an employee like Daniel representing them.
Very nice experience working with Plumbing Express, particularly with Tim Robinson who complete the job as expected. He listened and understood my concerns and try to address them as close as possible. Very nice work. Thanks guys.
Rod was courteous and focused. He had the situation sized up and solved by the time I got out to the meter-box to greet him. I was impressed with his talent for deduction and followed his train of thought in trouble shooting the problem. There was no leak after the watermeter and the watermeter worked fine. The evidence was subtle but it was there. Water wasn't leaking out of the box it was leaking in by the direction of the mud residue build-up. Thanks again Rod!
We had water pressure and water temperature issues, which turned out to be caused by a failing pressure regulator valve and a failed valve in a crossover recirculator. Anthony diagnosed and replaced both, repaired a pinhole leak in a copper pipe near the PRV, and did the annual service on our tankless heater, all in less than 3 1/2 hours including a 45 minute trip to pick up the correct PRV for our system. He is always fast, efficient and knowledgeable, and willing to answer all our questions.
Daniel did a great job with the tankless installation, educating us on the new unit, and was very professional. Happy to have hot water once again. Thank you.
Rob came in and was friendly and completed the toilet repair quickly and professionally.
Fantastic, trustworthy and reliable Plumber. Highly recommend. Daniel was awesome. Hard to recommend any other plumbing business in Atlanta! These guys are honest and don’t nickel and dime you for everything.
We had a pool of water forming in our front yard, so we scheduled an appointment with Plumbing Express and they quickly sent Daniel to come diagnose the issue. When he arrived, he let me know what the potential issues were and gave me a very detailed breakdown of the costs and work involved, from best to worst case scenario. He was able to break things down in a way that I could easily understand, and I could tell that he was being honest with me which gave me the confidence to hire him to work on the issue. He quickly found the leak, showed me, and I immediately agreed to have him fix the pipe. Within an hour or so he had the leak fixed and filled the area he had to dig up, all while it was so cold it actually began to snow a little bit. I could not ask for better service and will happily go with Plumbing Express in the future for any plumbing needs.
Rod was very professional, courteous, and quick. I've also used Plumbing Express in the past and was happy with the service.
Tim was great. Took the time to explain what he was doing and break down everything that needed to be done.
I requested Dylan because he had previously came to our house to diagnose what was wrong with our Renni tankless water heater. He always explains what is wrong and what needs to be done to fix what's wrong. Dylan this a highly talented plumber.
They say, “you won’t know what someone is made of until you see them navigate problems and mistakes.” The install team were incredibly professional and courteous. They did unfortunately have a couple of big missteps, but they and their boss Ty handled it the way great companies do. They listened apologetically and made it right!! Ty acted honorably to make things right and Lucio, Joe, Ben and Rad did a tremendous job replumbing the house in just one day to bypass the leak under the slab. Grateful for their hard work and will certainly recommend to my friends and family!
Daniel did a great job of telling me exactly what the issues were as well as the solutions. He finished the work in a timely fashion and was able to recommend another company for possible water damage.
Polite, customer friendly. Both were very nice. Work completed on time and did what they said. Thanks, Harry Fraley
Anthony hooked up a firepit to a new gas line. He did a good job and worked quickly. He was friendly and explained things well.
Service is prompt and expert. Highly recommend. Mr Robinson minimized any disruption possible from installation. His professionalism and attention to detail is outstanding.
Third time using them, very positive experience, friendly, efficient and do clean work. Will call them again.
Very calm, respectful, and explained things well to someone who doesn’t know much about plumbing.
Anthony was amazing to work with. Very knowledgeable, friendly, and very quick to respond to our situation! We would recommend him to anyone.
I am very pleased with their work. Were the most affordable and they a terrific job. I highly recommend it
Anthony was very competent, professional and friendly. He answered all my questions throughly. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Rod Anderson. I had a great experience with the Mr. Anderson who came to my home. He was very professional, respectful, and honest. You could tell he really knew his work and took the time to explain everything clearly. I truly appreciated his knowledge and transparency. I would highly recommend his services and will definitely call him again if I ever need plumbing help!
After suffering a second leak under our slab and getting quotes from various plumbers, we decided to have our house repiped through the attic. Ed came by from Plumbing Express and I was convinced that they were the right company. Not only was their bid competitive with the other plumbers, but they also provided better insulation for the pipes and turnkey drywall repair and paint. The plumbing crew were polite and professional and kept the work areas clean. They kept the damage and the dust down to a minimum which was a pleasant surprise. After they completed the job, Flaniel repaired and painted the walls like new with no signs of patching. He was super clean and even mopped the floors before he left. I also want to give a shout out to Ivan in the office who orchestrated everything. Finally, I can say without a doubt, that if you have plumbing issues, Plumbing Express is the one to call.
Anthony is very professional and polite. He installed plumbing during reno for the master bath, basement bath and new kitchenette. Highly recommend.
Rod did a great job.He was very professional and informative. Great customer service overall.
Very happy with the pipe replacement. The whole team was super professional, knowledgeable, efficient and communicative
Installed new water heaters and a whole home water filter system. Great communication. Did everything they said they would do in the timeframe stated. Left everything clean and answered all my questions.
I had an outstanding experience with Rod. He was professional, punctual, and extremely knowledgeable. He quickly diagnosed the problem, explained everything clearly, and completed the work efficiently. The quality of his work was excellent, and he left everything clean and neat when he finished.
Smooth process from receiving the initial estimate to completion of our complete home repiping.
Rod Anderson was my technician. He was courteous, prompt, and knowledgeable. He was able to fi n d the problem and recommended next steps. Thanks for your services.
Had a leaking pipe around the hot water heater and another one showing alot of corrosion from calcium buildup. I needed these pipes repaired before they become a bigger problem. I have used Plumbing Express in the past and had great results so I called them again and got great results from their service on repairing these pipes and quick and efficient service. Dylan was great and very efficient and knowledgeable about what repairs needed to be done. I will definitely use Plumbing Express and ask for Dylan when I have any plumbing problems in the future!
