Active leak: stop the water first
If water is dripping from a ceiling, spreading across a floor or pouring from a wall, shut off the main water valve and call. Our dispatch line is open 24/7, and the first thing to do while you wait is to switch off power to any wet area you can reach safely.
Place a bucket under a ceiling drip, and poke a small hole in a bulging ceiling only if the bulge is full of water, so it drains into a bucket and not across the room. Move furniture and electronics out of the way.
Symptoms that suggest a hidden leak
Most hidden leaks announce themselves long before a puddle appears.
- The water meter keeps moving when every fixture is off
- A water bill that jumps without any change in use
- Warm spots on a floor or a hot water pipe running through a wall
- Peeling paint, stains or a musty smell
- Low water pressure in part of the house
- The sound of running water when everything is off
Meter still running, or a high water bill
The fastest home test costs nothing. Shut off every fixture, then check your water meter. If the low-flow dial or the small triangle keeps turning, water is going somewhere you cannot see.
Barberton customers can call the city utilities office with billing questions, and a plumber can find the leak itself. Many high bills turn out to be a toilet flapper that leaks into the bowl, which we can confirm with dye. If not, we trace the supply lines.
How we find a leak without tearing things apart
Different tools answer different questions.
| Method | What it finds | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Meter and isolation test | Whether a leak exists and which zone | First step on every call |
| Acoustic listening | The sound of water escaping a pressurized pipe | Pinpointing a leak in a wall or floor |
| Thermal imaging | Temperature differences from wet material or hot lines | Ceilings, walls, radiant heat |
| Moisture meter | Wet drywall, framing or subfloor | Mapping the damage |
| Pressure test | Whether a line holds pressure | Confirming a suspect line |
| Tracer gas | Escaping gas through soil or walls | Hard-to-find buried leaks |
Ceiling, wall and basement leaks
A wet ceiling does not always mean the leak is directly above. Water travels along joists and drains down the first path it finds. We start from the stain, trace upward and check bathrooms, supply lines and roof flashing on the way.
Basements and crawl spaces tell their own story. Barberton sits in a valley beside the Tuscarawas River, and the June 2019 flooding is a reminder that groundwater and storm water can look like plumbing leaks. We tell the difference, because the fix for a wet foundation is not a plumber's repair. When groundwater is the cause, see basement waterproofing.
Buried lines, yards and sprinklers
A leak in the service line between the meter and the house can run for months under the lawn, and the only sign is a soft patch or a bill that will not quit. We locate the break and discuss repair or replacement.
Irrigation systems leak at valves and heads. Pool and spa lines hold pressure like any pipe and can be tested the same way, though we send the pool equipment itself to a pool specialist. The same applies to a meter-box leak, which may be the city's side, so we check where the water starts.
What affects leak detection pricing
You hear the price before any equipment comes in.
Many homeowners policies cover sudden water damage but not the pipe itself, and slow leaks are often excluded. Ask your agent before you file. For a quote, call (855) 575-2890.
Suspect a hidden leak?
Call the 24/7 line. Tell us what the meter and the bill are doing.
What the numbers say about hidden leaks
According to the EPA, the average home loses nearly 10,000 gallons of water a year to leaks, and about one in ten homes loses 90 gallons or more per day. Those numbers are why a meter test belongs at the start of every leak call.
Barberton's water is metered, so a running meter with every fixture off is solid evidence of a leak.
What happens after we find it
We show you where it is and what it will take to fix. A small supply leak is a simple repair, while a failing line may point toward repiping, and a leaking joint in a drain may lead to drain cleaning and a camera check.
Leak Detection questions from Barberton homeowners
Yes. Dispatch is open 24/7. An active leak gets priority, and many calls are booked the same day.
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter. If it moves, there is a leak. A warm floor, a musty smell or a sudden bill jump are also strong clues.
Usually not for detection. We pinpoint the leak first, then open the smallest section needed for the repair.
Yes, with acoustic equipment and thermal imaging. Slab-on-grade sections are less common in Ohio basement homes, but they exist in additions and garages.
No. Seasonal use, a guest or a filling pool can raise a bill. If the meter runs with everything off, a leak is likely.
Yes, when materials stay wet for days. Fix the source quickly and dry the area. We repair plumbing, and a restoration company handles mold.
Chasing a leak? Call (855) 575-2890.