Some leaks are obvious. A dripping ceiling or a wet cabinet floor is easy to trace. Others go unnoticed for months. A pinhole in a copper line under the slab, a failed fitting inside a wall, or a cracked service line in the yard can run up a water bill and soak framing before anyone notices. Summit Plumbing locates leaks with acoustic listening gear, thermal imaging, and pressure testing, so we can open one spot instead of several. Once we know where the leak is, we give you a repair price and fix it, whether that means a new section of pipe, a rerouted line through the attic, or a repaired service line at the meter. We also check the rest of the system for pressure problems that cause leaks in the first place. Our plumbers serve Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle, and Kuna.
Signs of a hidden water leak
- Water bill climbs with no change in how you use water
- Meter dial moves when every fixture in the house is off
- Warm spot on a floor that is not near a heat register
- Musty smell or soft spot in drywall or baseboard
- Sound of running water when nothing is on
- Green patch in the lawn during a dry August
What a leak detection visit includes
- Meter test to confirm the house is losing water and estimate how fast
- Pressure test of the supply system to isolate hot, cold, or irrigation lines
- Acoustic and thermal scanning to pinpoint the leak location
- Marked location and a written repair quote before any opening is made
- Repair of the pipe, fitting, or valve, with photos of the finished work
- Static pressure reading and a pressure reducing valve check
How leak detection works
- You call (208) 555-0142 with what you have noticed, and we ask a few questions to narrow the search.
- Our plumber runs a meter test and pressure test to confirm a leak and isolate which line it is on.
- We scan floors, walls, and yard with listening and thermal equipment and mark the spot.
- You approve the repair price, and we open the smallest area needed and fix the pipe.
- We retest the system, photograph the repair, and go over what the drywall or concrete restoration will involve.
What leak detection and repair costs
Leak detection is a flat fee that starts from $275 and covers the meter test, pressure isolation, and scanning needed to mark the location. The repair is quoted separately once we know what and where it is. A fitting inside an accessible wall is a small job. A slab leak that needs a jackhammer or a reroute through the attic is a larger one. Cost depends on the pipe material, depth, access, and whether the leak is on the house side or the street side of the meter. We include the detection fee in the repair total if you go ahead with us.
Why leaks are common in Boise homes
Two things drive leaks here. The first is water pressure. Parts of the Bench and the foothills sit on pressure zones that push 90 psi or more into homes, and copper and plastic fittings wear out faster at that pressure. The second is age and soil. Houses built before 1980 in the North End and on the Bench often have copper supply lines in the crawl space or under the slab, or galvanized steel in the walls, and both pit and pinhole over time. Freeze and thaw cycles between November and March move soil around buried service lines and stress the joints. A pressure reducing valve and an annual meter check catch most of these before they become a wet floor.
Questions we get about this
How can I check for a leak myself?
Turn off every fixture and appliance, then watch the water meter for ten minutes. If the small dial or the numbers move, water is going somewhere. Also check the toilet by adding food coloring to the tank and waiting.
Will you have to tear up my floor to find a slab leak?
No. Detection is done from the surface with listening equipment and thermal imaging. Once we mark the spot, we open only that area. In some cases we skip the slab entirely and reroute the line overhead.
Does homeowner insurance cover leak repair?
Policies vary. Many cover the resulting water damage but not the pipe repair itself. We provide a written report with photos and the cause of the leak so you can submit it to your insurer.
Why do I keep getting pinhole leaks in copper?
High water pressure, water chemistry, and pipe age all contribute. One pinhole is a repair. Several in a year usually means the pipe is at the end of its life and repiping is the better long term option.
Is the leak my responsibility or the water company's?
Anything from the meter to the house is yours. Anything on the street side of the meter belongs to the utility. Our meter test tells us which side the leak is on before we quote.
How fast can you get someone out for a leak?
Active leaks go to the front of the schedule. Tell us when you call if water is running now. Shutting off the main valve at the house or the meter stops the damage while you wait.