Signs of a hidden leak
If you can hear water running when every tap is closed, or you see wet drywall, stained ceilings or a spreading damp patch, shut off the main water valve and call. Our 24/7 line handles active leaks at night and on weekends, and shutting the main limits the damage while you wait. Move electronics and furniture away from the wet area.
Check these first
- Your water meterWith every fixture off, watch the small dial. If it moves, water is leaving the house.
- Your billA jump of 30 percent or more with no change in use is worth investigating.
- Floors and wallsWarm spots on a floor, mold smell or peeling paint can mean a leak behind a surface.
- ToiletsPut a drop of food coloring in the tank. Color in the bowl without flushing means a silent leak.
- SoundsHissing or dripping near walls or under floors is often a supply line.
How we find the leak without opening walls
Leak detection is a process of elimination. The plumber pressure tests the supply lines to confirm there is a leak, then isolates sections to see where the pressure drops. Acoustic listening devices pick up the sound of water escaping from a pipe, and a thermal camera shows temperature differences from wet or hot-water leaks.
A tracer gas test or a moisture meter can then pinpoint the spot. The goal is to cut one small access hole in the right place instead of several in the wrong ones. That saves drywall, flooring and money.
High bill leaks, meter leaks and the part before the house
Not every leak is inside. The service line from the street to your basement can leak underground, and the first sign is often a high bill or a wet spot in the yard. The utility owns the line up to a certain point, and the homeowner owns the rest, so find out where the boundary is.
If you are in Hingham, Hull or North Cohasset, your water comes from the Weir River Water System, which publishes a water quality report and a 24-hour customer line. Weymouth has its own water department, and Norwell runs on its own wells. A buried leak on the house side is repaired through water service line repair.
Slab, wall, ceiling and under-floor leaks
| Location | What you notice | How we locate it |
|---|---|---|
| Ceiling below a bathroom | Brown stain, sagging drywall | Moisture meter and supply line pressure test |
| Basement wall | Damp wall, efflorescence | Rule out groundwater, then test pipes |
| Under a slab | Warm floor, sound of running water | Acoustic detection and thermal imaging |
| Crawlspace | Musty smell, wet insulation | Visual and thermal scan |
| Behind a washer or fridge | Floor staining at the edge | Inspect the supply and drain hoses |
Slab leaks are less common in New England basement homes than in slab-built regions, but they exist in additions, garages and some condo units. If you have radiant heat in a slab, a leak in a heating loop is a different problem from a leak in a domestic line, and we identify which it is.
After the leak is found
Finding the leak is only half the work. The repair may be a small section of pipe, a new valve or, when the pipe is failing everywhere, a conversation about repiping. If the line is a burst, the next step is burst pipe repair.
Water that has already soaked drywall needs drying, and mold can start in a day or two. We tell you what to dry and who to call for restoration, and we document the leak location so your insurance claim has evidence.
What leak detection costs
Price depends on how hard the leak is to find, not on how large the damage looks.
What moves the price
- Number of suspected areasA single bathroom is quicker than a whole house.
- Equipment neededAcoustic, thermal and tracer gas methods each take time.
- AccessFinished walls and slabs are harder to scan than exposed basement pipes.
- Pressure testIsolating zones adds steps but narrows the search.
- ReportA written location report helps insurance and repair planning.
Many policies cover sudden water damage but not the cost of finding or repairing the leaking pipe. Some cover detection when damage follows. Ask your insurer before you file.
Want the number for your house? Call (339) 216-9771 and describe what you see.
Leak detection across Hingham and the South Shore
In Hull, where much of the town sits in a flood zone and basement apartments are vulnerable to flooding, a basement that is damp is not always a plumbing leak. We test the pipes and separate groundwater from supply water. That avoids repairs that do not fix the problem.
We detect leaks in ZIP codes 02043 and 02044 in Hingham, 02025 in Cohasset, 02188 to 02191 in Weymouth, 02061 in Norwell and 02045 in Hull. Restaurants and offices can also book leak detection for after-hours work. Call our 24/7 line if you see water.
Finding a leak is diagnosis and needs no permit. According to the Massachusetts plumbers and gas fitters consumer fact sheet, fixing the pipe afterward can, so ask your plumber which permit applies.
In older village buildings such as those around Hingham Square, finding a hidden leak before opening a wall protects plaster and old flooring.
Questions homeowners ask
We pressure test, listen with acoustic tools and scan with a thermal camera to narrow the spot before opening anything.
Yes. We take active-leak calls 24/7, including nights, weekends and holidays. Shut off the main water valve and call so a plumber can be sent.
A running toilet, a dripping fixture or an underground service line leak can raise the bill. Watching the meter with all fixtures off is a quick first test.
Less common than in slab-built regions, but it can happen in additions, garages and condos. We check for it when symptoms fit.
Policies vary. Many cover damage from a sudden leak but not the cost of finding or fixing the pipe. Ask your insurer.
Yes. Damp materials can grow mold within a couple of days, so dry the area quickly and ask about restoration.
Yes. After-hours appointments are available for shops and offices.