Leak detection in Las Vegas and Clark County

The leaks that cost the most are the ones nobody can see. Water under a slab, inside a wall cavity, or in a yard line runs for months, and the first sign is a water bill that jumped or a warm patch on the floor.

Leak detection is the step that stops the repair being exploratory demolition. Acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, pressure testing and tracer gas locate the leak, and then only that spot gets opened.

Signs of a hidden leak

• A water bill that rose with no change in how you use water
• A warm or damp spot on a floor slab
• The sound of running water when everything is off
• Cracked, lifting or discoloured flooring
• Musty smell, or mould in a corner with no obvious source
• Low water pressure that appeared gradually
• A section of yard that stays wet or unusually green

The meter test you can run yourself

Before calling anyone, this two minute check tells you whether water is escaping at all.

• The water authority test for a hidden leak is simple: shut every fixture off and watch the flow indicator on the meter. If it still moves, water is going somewhere it should not. (Southern Nevada Water Authority)
• The average American household loses nearly 9,400 gallons of water a year to household leaks, and fixing the easy ones can cut about 10 percent off a water bill. (US EPA WaterSense)

Slab leaks in valley homes

Because valley homes sit on slabs, a failed supply line under the concrete is a specific and common local problem. Symptoms include a hot spot on the floor when a hot line is involved, the sound of water with everything off, and unexplained humidity.

Repair options include a spot repair through the slab, rerouting the line overhead through the attic and walls, or repiping the house. Which one makes sense depends on the pipe age and how many leaks have already happened.

• Valley homes sit on slabs rather than basements in large part because of caliche, a hard calcium carbonate layer in the desert soil. It is also why a leak under the slab is a specialist job rather than a quick dig. (US Geological Survey)

There may be help with the cost

Valley water agencies periodically run programs relating to leak repair.

• The Southern Nevada Water Authority runs rebate and assistance programs for valley homeowners, including help with leak diagnosis and repair. Program terms change, so check the current rules before counting on one. (Southern Nevada Water Authority, rebates)

All makes and models

Plumbers in our network work on all makes and models for this service. We do not claim an authorised dealer relationship with any manufacturer, and we will tell you if a part for a discontinued unit cannot be sourced.