Signs of a hidden leak
- A water bill that jumps with no change in how you use water
- The meter dial or leak indicator moving with every tap off
- A warm spot on the floor, or the sound of running water
- Damp drywall, lifting flooring or a musty smell
- A soggy patch in the yard between the meter and the house
How we handle it
- Confirm it at the meter
With every fixture off we watch the meter, so you know there is a real leak before paying anyone to hunt for it.
- Split the system
Isolating the house, the irrigation and the hot and cold sides tells us which line is losing water.
- Pinpoint the spot
Acoustic listening, line locating and thermal imaging narrow the leak to a small area of slab, wall or yard.
- Mark it and price the repair
We show you where the leak is and give you the repair options and price before anything is opened.
Where hidden leaks hide in San Antonio homes
Most homes here are built on a slab over expansive clay, so the leaks we find most are copper lines under the foundation that have flexed until they pinholed. After that come yard lines between the meter and the house, irrigation lines, and pipes in exterior walls and attics that were damaged in a freeze. Toilets that run silently and a water heater relief valve that drips into a drain also show up on the meter and are worth ruling out first.
Check for a leak yourself
- Turn everything off
Every tap, the washing machine, the ice maker and the irrigation controller.
- Read the meter
Open the meter box by the street and look at the small leak indicator or sweep hand. Note the reading.
- Wait and read again
If the indicator moves, or the reading changes after 30 minutes with nothing running, water is leaving the system somewhere.
- Close the house valve
If the meter stops when the house shut-off is closed, the leak is in the house. If it keeps moving, it is in the yard line or irrigation.
Not sure where your valves are? Here is how to find them.
What happens after we find it
A leak under the slab can be repaired at the spot or rerouted overhead — see slab leak repair. A yard line leak is a water line repair. When a house has leaked in several places, repiping is often cheaper than chasing the next one. Once it is fixed, keep the invoice: SAWS may credit part of the bill through its leak adjustment process.
What it costs
Leak detection in San Antonio typically runs $150 – $600, depending on the size of the house and how many lines have to be tested (see typical prices). We tell you the charge when you call, and the repair price once the leak is found — before anything is opened.
Questions people ask
Is the leak my responsibility or SAWS?
Everything from the meter to the house is the homeowner’s. The street side of the meter belongs to SAWS. The meter test usually shows which side you are on.
Will you have to break my floor to find it?
No. Detection is done from the surface with acoustic and thermal equipment. Concrete only gets opened for the repair, and only at the spot we have located — if you choose a spot repair at all.
Does insurance pay for leak detection?
Some policies pay for finding the leak when the water damage is covered. We give you a written note of what we found to send to your insurer.
How long does it take?
Most homes take a single visit. Large homes, multiple leaks or long yard runs can take longer, and we tell you if that is likely before we start.