Water Leak Detection Services in Des Moines, WA
A hidden leak can begin with little more than an unexplained meter reading or a water bill that no longer matches your normal use. We help homeowners, plumbers, and property managers in Des Moines move from uncertainty to a focused repair plan.
A water leak in a managed property has a way of becoming everyone's problem fast - a stained ceiling two floors down, a water shutoff that displaces tenants, and a plumber who needs to open walls before knowing where to look. For property owners and managers in the area, that sequence is expensive and avoidable.
Simply Leak Detection locates the source precisely before anything opens. Whether the loss is in a supply riser, under a slab, or feeding a specific tenant unit, we isolate the system, use non-invasive acoustic and thermal instruments, and deliver findings the same day - with photos and exact coordinates your plumber and insurer can act on immediately.
We work directly with property managers, HOA boards, and building owners across the greater Seattle area. Discreet scheduling, no tenant disruption beyond a brief pressure test, and a written summary of findings included with every invoice make the repair conversation straightforward.
Signs you might have a hidden leak
We're most often called in when a plumber has already looked and can't find it - but if you're experiencing any of the following, you don't need to wait that long.
Unexplained spike in your water bill
If your bill jumped without a change in usage habits, water is going somewhere it shouldn't - possibly underground or inside a wall.
Water meter moving when everything is off
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch your meter. Any movement - even a slow crawl - confirms water is actively leaving the system somewhere.
Soggy yard patches or zones that stay wet
Sections of lawn or landscaping that are consistently wetter than the rest - especially when the irrigation hasn't recently run - often point to a buried line failure.
Well pump running excessively
If you notice your well pump frequently cycling on (by hearing it, seeing an indicator light, or noticing a high electric bill) when no water is in use, you may have a leak.
Low or inconsistent water pressure
A supply line losing water before it reaches your fixtures will often show up first as pressure that drops or fluctuates for no clear reason.
Sound of running water with nothing on
Hissing, trickling, or rushing water sounds when every tap and appliance is off is a classic indicator of a pressurized leak somewhere in the system.
Warm or hot spots on your floors
A hot-water supply line failing beneath a concrete slab radiates heat upward. Warm patches on tile or hardwood floors are a common early sign of a slab leak.
Wet patches on walls, ceilings, or floors
Moisture that appears without an obvious source - no recent rain, no spill - usually means water is migrating from a hidden pipe failure nearby.
Musty smell, mold, or mildew without a visible cause
Persistent musty odors or mold growth in an area that never gets wet from normal use often traces back to a slow, long-running leak behind or beneath the surface.
Foundation cracks, settling, or uneven floors
Long-running slab leaks erode the soil beneath a foundation. New cracks in concrete or drywall, doors that stick, or floors that feel uneven can all follow from that movement.
Rotten egg or sulfur smell in your house
That distinct sulfur odor is added to natural gas specifically so you'll notice it. A smell near a gas line, appliance, or in your house warrants immediate investigation.
Your plumber said to call a leak detection specialist
Plumbers refer to us when a leak won't reveal itself to standard diagnostics. If yours suggested a specialist, that's exactly what we do.
Services We Offer in Des Moines
From residential slab leaks to commercial irrigation systems, we locate water leaks and leaks on privately owned gas lines downstream of the meter using non-invasive equipment.
Locate buried supply-line leaks without trenching your yard, driveway, or landscaping.
Learn more →Find hidden leaks inside walls, floors, and under slabs - no exploratory demolition.
Learn more →Pinpoint sprinkler and irrigation mainline leaks without disturbing your landscape.
Learn more →Acoustic and thermal pinpointing under concrete - no guesswork, no unnecessary jackhammering.
Learn more →Precision leak detection for offices, retail, and industrial buildings with minimal tenant disruption.
Learn more →Identify the source unit and line quickly to contain damage and resolve disputes.
Learn more →Locate leaks in fire suppression systems without compromising building life-safety systems.
Learn more →Find leaks in large-diameter water mains and underground distribution lines.
Learn more →Locate non-metallic poly and PEX pipe routes acoustically when tracer wire is unavailable.
Learn more →Locate buried utilities before digging to avoid costly and dangerous strikes.
Learn more →Pinpoint electrical ground faults in underground conduit and direct-bury systems.
Learn more →Locate leaks on privately owned gas lines downstream of the meter, typically within a home.
Learn more →We find it. Your plumber fixes it. No overlap.
- ✓Same-day written summary of findings with photos, included with every invoice, for your repair contractor
- ✓No-dig approach keeps landscaping, driveways, and hardscape intact until the actual repair
- ✓We don't repair leaks - so we have no incentive to misidentify a problem or overscope the job
- ✓The plumbers who know leak detection best are the ones who send us their toughest calls
Three steps. No guessing.
Call or schedule online
Tell us what you're seeing - bill spikes, wet spots, meter movement. We gather details so we arrive prepared.
Non-invasive inspection
Acoustic sensors, thermal imaging, and tracer gas where needed. No jackhammers. No unnecessary openings. No guesswork.
Written summary with exact location
Precise location and photos in a summary of findings included with every invoice.
Underground Water Leak & Sprinkler Line Detection
Underground leaks are a broad category - buried service lines, mainlines, irrigation circuits, and in some cases gas distribution lines running through a property - and they share a common problem: the only way to know exactly where the loss is occurring is with specialized detection equipment. We handle the full range, from locating a single break in a half-inch residential supply line to mapping and testing a multi-zone commercial irrigation system across several acres. See our underground leak detection and irrigation leak detection service pages for more detail.
Commercial irrigation systems - multi-zone controllers, backflow prevention assemblies, and valve manifolds - operate under enough pressure that a single failed valve or cracked mainline can waste thousands of gallons before anyone notices. Property managers, HOAs, and landscaping contractors call us when a zone stops performing, a meter shows unexplained loss, or an irrigation contractor has traced the problem as far as their own equipment can reach. For properties without existing as-builts, we map the line first, then locate the leak - delivering a marked repair point and a written summary of findings included with every invoice that your contractor can work from directly.
Residential sprinkler systems get the same treatment. If it runs underground and it's losing water, we can find where - without turning your yard into a trench to do it.
Slab Leak Detection & Foundation Leak Locating
A slab leak - a break or pinhole failure in a supply or drain line embedded in or running beneath your concrete foundation - is one of the more stressful water problems a homeowner can face. The water often appears far from the source, migrating along the path of least resistance until it surfaces under flooring, at a baseboard, or on the wall opposite the actual pipe. Combining years of experience with high-end equipment including acoustic sensors, thermal cameras, utility locators, and more - we are able to zero in on the exact location of the leak.
Hot-water supply lines are the most common slab leak culprit. They expand and contract with every cycle, and over years that movement creates friction wear against the concrete that eventually opens a pinhole. Post-tension slabs - common in Western Washington construction from the 1980s onward - add complexity because the reinforcing cables have to be respected during any repair planning. We document the position so the repair crew can work from a clear, precise target.
The same non-invasive detection process extends to residential plumbing throughout the home - in-wall supply lines, under-tile hot-water runs, and leaks that present above grade but originate below it. Whether the source is above the slab or beneath it, we locate it without guesswork.
Whether the issue is a slab leak under your foundation or a break in a buried supply line, the detection process follows the same principle: isolate the system, pressurize it, and listen. slab leak detection and underground water leak detection are two of our most requested services, and both benefit enormously from accurate locating before any concrete gets cored or any yard gets opened.
If the source turns out to be on the service line between the meter and the structure, that's an underground locate job. If it's inside the slab itself - a hot-water supply line that's been expanding and contracting against the concrete for years - that's a slab locate job. We handle both with the same non-invasive equipment and the same precision standard.
Common questions from Des Moines customers
We use calibrated acoustic ground microphones, thermal imaging cameras, and a safe nitrogen/hydrogen tracer-gas blend. Underground water pipe leaks are located primarily through acoustics; we typically also use the tracer-gas blend as additional confirmation of the leak location. The method depends on pipe material, location, and leak type.
In the right conditions, accurate to within a foot or less. Accuracy depends on soil type, pipe material, depth, and ambient noise. Finished flooring and concrete affect how we listen. Underground water pipe leaks are located primarily through acoustics; we typically also use a safe nitrogen/hydrogen tracer-gas blend as additional confirmation of the leak location.
Most residential inspections take one to two hours. Larger commercial properties, complex underground systems, or intermittent and very slow leaks may take longer. We give you a time estimate based on scope when you schedule.
Yes - we locate leaks on privately owned gas lines downstream of the gas meter, typically within a home. The gas company is responsible for leaks on the underground service line leading up to the meter. If you smell gas or suspect an active leak, leave the area and call 911 or your gas company first.
It's uncommon, but very slow or intermittent leaks can be difficult to detect in a single visit. When that happens, we're transparent about what we found, what we ruled out, and what the appropriate next step is. We don't leave without a clear path forward.
Have a question we didn't answer?
Have a leak? We'll find exactly where it is.
Non-invasive leak detection for homes and businesses in Des Moines and across Western Washington. Written summary of findings and exact location - same day.