The most reliable signs are an unexplained water bill increase, damp spots or stains on floors and walls, the sound of running water with everything off, and a warm spot on the floor. The water meter test confirms it in five minutes.
The Five-Minute Meter Test
Turn off every fixture and water-using appliance in the house. Find your water meter and note the reading or watch the low-flow indicator — a small dial or triangle that spins when water moves. Wait fifteen minutes without using any water. If the indicator has moved, water is going somewhere it should not. This is the single most useful diagnostic a homeowner can run, and it catches leaks that would otherwise run for months.
The Signs
- An unexplained water bill increase. Frequently the first evidence of a slab or underground leak, weeks before anything is visible.
- Damp spots, discoloration, or bubbling paint on walls, ceilings, or floors.
- Running water sound when everything is off.
- A warm spot on the floor — a strong indicator of a hot-water slab leak.
- Musty smell in a cabinet, closet, or room, which means moisture has been present a while.
- Cracks in flooring or foundation, or an unexplained drop in water pressure.
- Unusually green or soggy patches in the yard, indicating a buried supply or sewer line leak.
Why Hidden Leaks Are Worse Than Visible Ones
A visible leak gets fixed. A leak inside a wall or under a slab runs for months, soaking framing and subfloor, growing mold, and in the case of a slab leak, eroding the soil supporting your foundation. The repair cost is often the smallest part of the bill by the time it is found.
How We Locate Them
Non-invasive leak detection — acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, and pressure testing — pinpoints the source without opening walls or cutting concrete speculatively. That precision is what keeps a slab leak repair from becoming a demolition project.
Common Local Causes
High water pressure without a working pressure reducing valve, corroding galvanized supply pipe in older homes, hard water scale, and freeze damage.
