Not Every Leak Comes From the Slab
A high EMWD bill with no visible cause does not always mean a slab leak. Water supply lines run through walls, ceilings, and underground yard irrigation systems. A pinhole in a wall line, a failed shut-off valve, or a slow yard line leak can produce the same symptoms as a slab leak and go undetected for months.
We use the same acoustic and pressure isolation process for these leaks that we use for slab detection. The method works anywhere a pressurized water line can lose pressure: inside walls, under floors not on a slab, and in underground yard and irrigation supply lines.
Types of Water Leaks We Locate
In-Wall Leaks
Supply lines inside exterior and interior walls. Acoustic listening identifies the breach location before any drywall is opened. We mark the smallest access point required for the repair.
Under-Floor Leaks (Non-Slab)
Homes with crawlspaces or raised foundations may have supply line failures below the floor deck that produce the same hot-floor and running-water symptoms as a slab leak. We distinguish between the two before any repair recommendation is made.
Yard and Irrigation Line Leaks
Underground main lines from the meter to the house, and lateral irrigation lines, can leak for months before a wet patch appears on the surface. Pressure testing the main line confirms whether the loss is before or after the house shut-off.
The Detection Process
Regardless of where the leak is suspected, detection follows the same discipline: confirm the leak exists and identify which line is losing pressure before making any access opening. This is how we avoid unnecessary wall cuts and incorrect diagnoses.
If the detection indicates the loss is on the supply side before the house shut-off, we confirm whether it is a yard line or a meter issue. If it is inside the home but not in the slab, we work through wall lines and branch lines systematically using pressure isolation and acoustic scanning.
When detection is complete, you get a written summary of findings and a written repair estimate before work begins.
Frequently Asked Questions
You usually cannot tell from symptoms alone. A warm floor spot points toward a slab hot-water line, but it is not conclusive. Pressure isolation testing tells us definitively whether the loss is on the slab line or on an above-slab supply line. We run that test as part of detection before any diagnosis is given.
A spinning meter with no visible wet spot is a common early presentation for both slab leaks and yard line leaks. Call us. We perform a main line pressure isolation first — this tells us whether the loss is before or after the house shut-off. From there we narrow it down. You do not need to know where the leak is before calling.
The EMWD concealed leak billing adjustment applies to qualifying concealed leaks repaired by a licensed contractor — not only slab leaks. A leaking in-wall supply line or underground yard supply line may qualify. We help you prepare and submit that paperwork on any qualifying repair at no extra charge.