LEAK DETECTION, ENNIS, TX
Leak Detection in Ennis, TX
Acoustic and thermal detection find the leak before any concrete gets opened, which is most of what keeps a repair small.
Why leaks in Ennis are often invisible for a while
Ellis County sits on blackland prairie soil, a heavy clay that expands when it's wet and shrinks when it dries out, sometimes by a noticeable amount across a single Texas summer. Every rigid pipe joint buried in or under a slab goes through that swelling-and-shrinking cycle every year, and it's the joints, not the pipe itself, that usually give first. That's a different failure pattern than corrosion or old age, and it's why a two-year-old repipe can still develop a leak if the soil under it has moved enough.
Because the leak is usually under a slab or behind a wall rather than out in the open, the first sign is rarely visible water. It's a warm patch on tile near an exterior wall, a hissing sound when everything in the house is off, or a water bill that's noticeably higher than the same month a year ago with no obvious change in usage.
Not sure if this can wait? Call and we'll tell you honestly.
CALL NOW(972) 430-3932How we find it without opening the floor
Acoustic listening equipment picks up the sound pressurized water makes moving through a small opening, which is different from ambient household noise and different from the sound of water moving through an intact pipe. For a lot of slab leaks that alone narrows the search to a few feet. Where the acoustic signal is unclear, usually because the leak is shallow or the slab has a lot of interference, thermal imaging can show the temperature difference a hot-water leak leaves on the surface.
The goal on every visit is the same: mark the smallest possible area before anyone touches concrete. Meter testing is the first, simplest check, and it's worth doing before anything else. Turn off every fixture and appliance that uses water, then watch the meter for movement over 15 to 30 minutes; if it's still turning, water is going somewhere it shouldn't.
| What you're noticing | Likely cause | How urgent |
|---|---|---|
| Warm spot on tile or laminate | Hot-water line leaking under the slab | Schedule this week |
| Meter spins with everything off | Active leak somewhere in the system | Same day |
| Water bill jumped with no usage change | Slow leak, often supply-side underground | This week |
| Damp carpet or baseboard near an exterior wall | Slab or wall-cavity leak already tracking moisture | Same day |
What to do first
- Turn off every tap, appliance, and irrigation zone, then watch the meter for movement
- Check your last two water bills against the same months last year for a jump
- Feel along baseboards and tile for warmth or dampness, especially near exterior walls
- Note exactly where any warm spot or sound is; that speeds up the detection visit
- Don't wait on a suspected leak under a slab; the soil movement here compounds the damage
Frequently asked about leak detection
How much does slab leak detection cost if it turns out to be nothing?
The detection visit itself is priced as a diagnostic call regardless of what we find, and we'll tell you plainly if the meter test or acoustic check comes back clean rather than guessing at a repair that isn't needed.
Can I test for a leak myself before calling?
The meter test is worth doing yourself: shut off every fixture, note the meter reading, wait 15 to 30 minutes, and check again. Movement means water is going somewhere in the system, though it won't tell you where.
Does acoustic detection actually work through a concrete slab?
Yes, for most residential slab leaks. Sound travels well through both the pipe and the surrounding concrete, and equipment built for this filters out household noise to isolate the leak's signature.
How long has a leak usually been running by the time someone notices it?
It varies widely, but weeks to a few months is common for a slab leak in this area, since the clay soil's own movement can mask early warm spots or minor water-bill increases.
What happens after you find the leak?
We mark the exact location and give you the repair options, whether that's a spot repair, a repipe of that section, or in some cases rerouting the line entirely to avoid opening the slab again.
Related to leak detection
Once a leak is confirmed under the slab itself, Slab Leak Detection & Repair is the repair step, and a leak that keeps returning in the same part of the house is often a sign it's time to talk about Repiping instead of another spot fix.
Ready to handle your leak detection?
Call and describe what's going on. You'll reach a plumber, not a form.