Our Work · Leak hunting

Leak Detection in Newmarket

A stain on the ceiling marks the finish line for the water, not the start. We aim to follow it back to the fitting and open only the wall that has to be opened.

Leak traced to its source before any drywall is cut
Copper, PEX, Poly-B and galvanized repaired on the spot
Smallest possible opening, cut clean for patching
Pressure held and meter dial checked after the fix

Cues for leak detection

The water bill jumps with no change in how you use water.
The little dial on the water meter turns while every tap is off.
A warm spot on a basement floor, or a musty smell in one corner.
Paint bubbling or baseboards swelling near a bathroom.

Pipe repair job sheet

Tools on the truck: Tube cutters, torch and solder, crimp and press tools, moisture meter, thermal camera
Materials we meet: Copper type M and L, galvanized steel, Poly-B, PEX, CPVC and the odd lead service line
What we open: The smallest drywall square that reaches the joint, cut clean so it patches easily
How we prove it: Pressure on, every joint wiped dry and watched, meter dial checked for creep

What fails inside the pipe, and why

Pinhole leaks in copper are common in houses from the 1970s to 1990s, and hard water speeds the wear at elbows. Shower valves in second-floor bathrooms leak inside the wall for months before a stain appears below. In slab-on-grade additions and some townhouses, supply lines run under the concrete, where a leak shows up only as damp carpet or a constant hiss at the meter.

On the job: tools, parts and steps

Meter test. Fixtures shut, dial watched: movement confirms the leak and shows its pace.
Isolate. Shutting branch valves one at a time tells us which zone of the house is losing water.
Read the walls. A moisture meter and thermal camera find the wet cavity without guesswork.
Listen. For buried lines, acoustic tools pick up the sound of water escaping under pressure.
Open small, repair, test. A tight access hole, a proper repair, and a pressure test before the wall is closed.

What decides how big the job gets

Whether the leak is on supply (pressurised) or drain (only leaks during use).
Location: behind tile, under concrete or inside a finished ceiling.
How many zones must be isolated before the source shows itself.
Whether repiping makes more sense than another patch.

Shut it off and call, or book it?

Dripping through a light fixture: shut the main and call now. A slow meter creep can wait for a booked visit, but not weeks, because hidden water feeds mould. If the leak traces back to a worn tap, our faucet repair page explains the fix. Older farmhouses and new builds alike in Sharon keep us busy with this work.

Asked on site

Is it possible to locate a leak with the walls intact?

We can usually pinpoint it from outside the wall. Fixing it still means a small access hole, but one hole beats several exploratory ones.

Is a leaking toilet a hidden leak?

Often it is the biggest one. A flapper that seeps into the bowl can waste a lot of water quietly. Tint the tank water with dye and check the bowl later.

Does insurance cover leak detection?

It depends on your policy and the cause. Many policies treat sudden leaks differently from slow ones. Call your insurer before major repairs.