Leak detection in Longmont, CO usually starts the same way: a homeowner notices a water bill that's climbed for no obvious reason, or a water meter that keeps spinning even with every fixture in the house off. Sometimes there's no visible water at all, just a hunch that something's wrong. That's exactly the situation leak detection is built for, finding a leak that isn't visible yet, before it becomes a bigger repair.
When You Suspect a Leak but Can't See One
If your water bill jumped and nothing in your household usage changed, or your water meter is still moving after you've shut off every fixture, that's a real signal worth acting on, even with zero visible water anywhere. A leak inside a wall, under a slab, or along a buried service line can run for weeks before it shows up as a stain, a soft spot in the floor, or a damp patch in the yard. Leak detection equipment (acoustic listening devices, thermal imaging, and pressure testing) is built specifically to find that kind of hidden leak without tearing into walls or flooring to search blindly.
Some of these calls genuinely can't wait. An active leak inside a wall or under a slab keeps causing damage for every hour it runs undetected, and a leak that's suddenly accelerated, going from a slow drip to a visibly climbing meter, is worth an after-hours call rather than waiting until the next business day. Not every leak is that urgent, but when one is, we treat it that way.
This matters more in Longmont than it might elsewhere in the state because of the area's expansive clay soil. That soil moves with moisture changes, and a leak under a slab or along a buried line can both cause and be worsened by that same soil movement, which is why an underslab or yard leak here often develops faster than the equivalent leak would in a more stable soil area.
Signs Worth Investigating
- A water bill that's noticeably higher with no change in household water use
- The water meter's leak indicator dial still moving with all fixtures off
- A warm spot on the floor, which can indicate a hot water line leak under a slab
- A musty smell or unexplained dampness with no visible source
- Low water pressure that developed gradually rather than all at once
How Detection Actually Works
A technician typically starts by isolating one section of the home's plumbing at a time, checking pressure at each point to figure out where the loss is actually happening, then uses acoustic equipment to listen for the sound a pressurized leak makes through pipe and soil or slab. This process pinpoints the leak's location closely enough to make the actual repair a targeted dig or access point instead of an open-ended search. For a leak specifically located beneath a concrete slab, see slab leak detection and repair, which uses this same detection process but addresses the specific access and repair challenges of under-slab work.
Before You Call
- Check your water meter with everything off; if the leak indicator is still moving, note it and mention it when you call
- Compare your last two water bills if you can, since a documented jump helps confirm timing
- Don't dig or cut into drywall or flooring on a guess at the leak's location; acoustic detection is more accurate and less destructive than a blind search
What Happens After the Leak Is Found
Once the leak's location is confirmed, the repair itself depends on what's actually leaking: a fitting, a section of supply line, or a service line running from the meter to the house (see water line repair and replacement for that specific scenario). Detection and repair are priced and scoped separately because the detection step is what determines how much repair work is actually needed, rather than guessing and opening up more than necessary. A leak found near the sewer lateral rather than a supply line points to a different service entirely; see sewer line repair for how that gets diagnosed and fixed.
What Affects the Cost
Suspected location
A leak suspected under a slab or buried line takes more specialized equipment than an exposed-pipe leak.
Home size and access
More plumbing runs and less accessible piping mean more area to isolate and test.
Equipment needed
Acoustic detection, thermal imaging, and pressure testing are used selectively based on the suspected leak type.
Follow-up repair
Detection is priced separately from the repair itself, which depends on what's actually found.
Urgency
An active, worsening leak is prioritized differently than a suspected slow leak with no immediate damage risk.
No two leak detection jobs cost exactly the same. Call (213) 635-0350 and tell us what you're seeing, and we'll give you a real number instead of a generic range.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this is one of the most common ways a hidden leak first shows up. A leak inside a wall, under a slab, or along a buried line can run for a long time before it becomes visible. Checking whether your water meter's leak indicator moves with everything off is a good first check, and leak detection equipment can pinpoint it from there.
Acoustic listening equipment picks up the specific sound a pressurized leak makes traveling through pipe, soil, or slab, which lets a technician narrow the location without cutting into walls or flooring to search blindly.
The detection process itself is non-invasive. Any digging or opening up happens only once the leak's location is confirmed, and it's targeted to that specific spot rather than an open-ended search.
The area's expansive clay soil moves with moisture changes, and a leak under a slab or buried line can accelerate that movement, which is part of why catching a hidden leak early matters more here than it might in an area with more stable soil.
Yes, call and describe what you're seeing (or not seeing) and we can talk through next steps before scheduling.