Leak Detection in Everett, WA
A meter that keeps running with every fixture off is the clearest sign of a hidden leak, and finding it without tearing into walls or floors is what leak detection equipment is for.
A rising water bill with no obvious cause, or a water meter that keeps spinning even with every fixture in the house turned off, are the two most common reasons Everett homeowners call for leak detection. In both cases, the leak is somewhere you can't see it, behind a wall, under a slab, or along a buried water line, and finding it without unnecessary demolition is the whole point of proper detection equipment.
We use acoustic listening equipment and, when needed, thermal imaging to pinpoint a hidden leak's exact location before opening any wall or flooring, which keeps repair costs focused on the actual problem instead of exploratory guesswork.
Why Hidden Leaks Are Common in Everett's Older Homes
Homes built before 1970 with galvanized supply lines are the most common source of the hidden leaks we find in Everett. Galvanized pipe corrodes from the inside out, and a pinhole leak can develop long before there's any visible sign at the surface, especially when the affected section runs through a wall cavity or under a concrete slab.
Slab leaks specifically show up more often in homes where a copper supply line runs beneath a concrete foundation, and years of soil shifting or the original installation's proximity to rebar can wear through the pipe wall from the outside.
Signs of a Hidden Leak
- A water meter that continues running with every fixture and appliance off.
- An unexplained increase in your water bill without a change in usage.
- A warm spot on a slab floor, which often indicates a hot water line leak underneath.
- The sound of running water when no fixture is in use.
- Unexplained mold, mildew, or a musty smell in one area of the house.
Acoustic and Thermal Leak Detection
Acoustic detection equipment listens for the specific sound a pressurized leak makes as it escapes a pipe, which lets us narrow the location to a specific section of wall or floor before any cutting starts. For a suspected slab leak, we can often confirm the location within a few feet using this method alone.
Thermal imaging is useful as a secondary confirmation tool, particularly for a hot water line leak under a slab, since the escaping hot water creates a detectable temperature difference at the surface even when nothing is visibly wet.
From Detection to Repair
Once we've located the leak, the repair itself depends on where it is and what's causing it. A leak in an accessible wall cavity or crawlspace is usually a straightforward spot repair. A confirmed slab leak may call for either a direct slab penetration repair or rerouting the line entirely, depending on access and the extent of surrounding pipe corrosion.
For homes with galvanized supply lines and a pattern of repeated leaks in different locations, we'll also discuss whether a full repipe makes more financial sense than continuing to chase individual leaks as they occur. Every repair is performed to the Uniform Plumbing Code standards Washington State has adopted, not just patched to stop the immediate symptom.
Not Sure Where the Leak Is Coming From?
Most callers describe this exact situation: the meter is running, but there's no visible sign of water anywhere in the house. That's the expected pattern for a hidden leak, and it's exactly what acoustic detection equipment is designed to solve. You don't need to know where the leak is before calling; that's what the diagnostic visit is for.
What Affects Leak Detection Cost
Cost Factors
- Method: acoustic detection alone is less costly than adding thermal imaging confirmation.
- Leak location: a slab leak typically takes longer to pinpoint than a wall-cavity leak.
- Access: a finished space adds complexity compared to an open crawlspace or unfinished basement.
- Repair scope: detection cost is separate from the repair itself, which varies by what's found.
- Pipe material: galvanized pipe often needs broader assessment once one leak point is found.
Leak detection to locate a leak is sometimes covered, or partially covered, under homeowner's policies with specific leak detection endorsements. The subsequent repair coverage depends on whether the damage was sudden or gradual.
Want your real number? Call (425) 845-0257.
What to Check Before You Call
- Check your water meter with all fixtures off; if it's still moving, you have an active leak.
- Note any warm spots on floors, which can indicate a hot water slab leak.
- Check recent water bills for a clear increase compared to your typical usage.
- Note any musty smells or unexplained dampness in a specific area of the house.
- Avoid assuming the leak's location based on where symptoms appear, since water often travels before surfacing.
Leak Detection Questions
How accurate is acoustic leak detection?
In most cases, we can narrow a leak's location to within a few feet, which minimizes how much wall or flooring needs to be opened for the actual repair.
Will you need to cut into my walls or floor to find the leak?
Typically not for the detection phase itself. Acoustic and thermal methods locate the leak non-invasively; opening the wall or floor happens only for the repair, once we know exactly where.
What if the leak turns out to be under a slab?
See our slab leak detection & repair page for what that process specifically involves.
How fast can you respond to a suspected hidden leak?
We can typically schedule a diagnostic visit quickly. A leak causing active visible damage is treated as more urgent.
Do you serve areas outside Everett?
Yes, including Edmonds, Mukilteo, Snohomish, Lake Stevens, and Mill Creek.
Suspect a Hidden Leak?
Call now to schedule acoustic leak detection before it gets worse.