Leak Detection Pierce County | Slab Leak & Hidden Pipe Repair

Leak Detection & Pipe Repair in Pierce County & South King County

Water bill that suddenly spiked? Wet spot on a wall or ceiling? Sound of running water with everything off? Slab leak suspicion? Andy's Plumbing & Drain locates leaks before tearing up walls or floors. We find it first, then quote the repair, so you spend money fixing what's actually broken.

A plumbing company that remembers your home.

Locate Before You Open Walls Slab & Underground Leaks Flat-Rate Pricing

What's Included — and What's Not

We locate the likely leak source and quote the plumbing repair. If access openings are needed, drywall, texture, paint, flooring, tile, cabinetry, and finish restoration are by others unless specifically included in writing. Leak detection reduces unnecessary demolition, but it does not guarantee zero openings. Some leaks require access to confirm and complete the repair.

Signs You Have a Hidden Leak

Water bill suddenly higher with no change in usage. The single most reliable indicator of a hidden leak.
Sound of running water when nothing is on. Especially heard at the meter or near a wall.
Warm spot on a slab floor (hot-water slab leak) or unusually cold spot (cold-water slab leak).
Water staining on walls or ceilings. Brown or yellow rings where pipes run inside the structure.
Mold or mildew in unusual places. Often a slow leak you can't see.
Mildew smell with no visible source.
Persistently damp baseboard. Often a slow leak from a fixture above or in the wall.
Pressure dropping over time. Slow loss of water somewhere in the system.
Water meter dial spinning when no water is being used in the home.
Soggy spot in the yard or driveway that doesn't dry out (often the service line or sprinkler system).

How We Find Leaks

The right tool depends on where the leak is and what it's leaking from.

Acoustic Leak Detection

Specialized listening equipment amplifies the sound of water escaping under pressure. Most useful for slab leaks, in-wall pressurized lines, and underground service lines.

Thermal Imaging

Infrared cameras show temperature differences. Hot-water leaks show as warm patches on cool walls or floors. Useful for slab leaks, in-wall hot lines, and behind tile.

Moisture Meters

Surface and pin meters measure moisture content of drywall, framing, and flooring. We map moisture extent to identify the affected area before opening anything.

Pressure Testing

For an unknown-source leak, we isolate sections of the plumbing system and pressure-test them to localize the leak to a specific run.

Camera Inspection

For drain or sewer leaks (waste-side, not pressure-side), the camera shows breaks, cracked joints, or failing pipe.

Common Leak Locations

Slab leaks: Hot or cold supply line under the concrete slab. Common in slab-foundation homes with copper supply piping.
In-wall pinhole leaks: Common in older copper supply lines with chemistry-related pinhole corrosion.
Toilet supply / wax ring leaks: Slow leak from the base of the toilet or the supply line.
Tub/shower valve leaks: Behind the wall, often only noticeable as ceiling staining below.
Water heater leaks: Sometimes obvious, sometimes the relief valve or drip pan.
Underground service line: See water line replacement →
Outdoor sprinkler / hose bib: Often missed because it's outside.

What Happens After We Locate

Once we find the leak, we walk you through repair options:

Targeted repair: Open just enough wall/floor to access the leak, repair, and patch. The minimum-damage approach.
Re-route: For slab leaks where opening the floor is too disruptive, we sometimes re-route the line above-ground through walls or ceiling.
Whole-section repipe: When pinhole leaks are a sign of widespread copper failure, a partial or whole-home repipe is often the right long-term fix.

Honest take: If a contractor wants to start opening walls before they've located the leak with the right tools, that's how repair bills explode. We find it first. We open exactly what we need. We patch what we open.

What It Costs

Leak detection pricing is flat-rate by job and depends on access, scope, and tools required. When the detection is bundled with the repair, the detection cost is sometimes included in the larger job — we tell you the total either way before we start. Free estimate. No trip charge.

Common Leak Detection Questions

My water bill jumped. How do I know there's a leak?

Check the water meter with everything off in the house. If the dial keeps moving, you have a leak somewhere. We can locate it.

What's a slab leak?

A leak in the supply line running under the concrete slab foundation of the home. Hot-water slab leaks often show as warm spots on the floor. We use acoustic and thermal tools to locate them precisely so the floor only has to be opened in one place.

Will my insurance cover a leak repair?

Sudden and accidental water damage is typically covered. Long-term slow leaks are often excluded. The leak repair itself is usually not covered — the water damage to drywall, flooring, and contents may be. Check with your carrier.

Should I shut off my main water valve?

If the leak is significant or you're seeing active water damage, yes. Then call us. If the leak is small and contained, you can leave water on while we locate.

Will you have to open walls to find the leak?

Often no. Acoustic and thermal tools can locate most leaks before any wall is opened. We then open just enough to repair. The goal is finding it first so we minimize damage.

My ceiling has a stain but no active drip. Still a leak?

Sometimes. Could be a slow leak that comes and goes (intermittent supply leak, fixture above), or could be old condensation. We diagnose. Better to find it now than after it gets worse.