FAQs

We locate fresh water plumbing leaks, pool leaks, structural water intrusion, fire line and pipeline leaks, and we conduct conservation and leak surveys for multi-family properties.  We offer our services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers.

Most meters have a leak indicator in the shape of a star, triangle, or small gear on the face of the meter.  To verify a leak, make sure that all fixtures are off including your icemaker and any devices that draws water automatically.  Then check your meter to see if the leak indicator is moving.  If it is, you likely have a leak.

You may have a leak above ground that is too small to activate the meter, or you may be seeing signs of water intrusion into your home from outside sources.

Check both inside and out to make sure no fixtures are running.  If the sound persists, you likely have an underground water leak.  Call Sleuth.

Not usually.  Most often, your pipes are in the soil under the foundation and only contact the foundation where they come up to feed a fixture.  At those points, they are generally protected by a plastic or foam sleeve.

An average 3 person family uses 8 to 10 thousand gallons a month, excluding irrigation.

Absolutely.  A leaking toilet can draw as little as a few gallons per day to over 200 gallons per hour if stuck full on.  Water loss due to a leaking toilet should never be underestimated.

We use modern technology and techniques we have developed over 40 years in business.  Most leaks on pressurized lines are located acoustically by listening through the slab, foundation, or wall with electronic equipment to determine the leak location.

Most leaks are found within 1 to 2 hours.

Sleuth does not do any plumbing repairs.  However, we can often access the leak and apply a temporary clamp to stop the leak until your plumber can make a permanent repair.

In most cases, a leak will grow to the point where it floods the home or, if outside, the increasing water loss and expense becomes intolerable.

Not necessarily.  We have found that the life of most piping ranges from 15 to 30 years depending on the type of pipe, but one leak is not a definite indication that a system is failing.

We recommend fixing your first or second leak.  After that, it is safe to assume your system is failing and you should consider re-piping.

No. Sleuth locates water leaks using acoustic methods designed to eliminate unecessary damage to your home.  We do not use the destructive, hit-or-miss techniques that many companies employ.

This type of testing is outdated and mostly ineffective.  Our proven technology renders this type of testing obsolete and prevents damage due to random drilling.

In most cases it is relatively simple.  Sleuth can locate the leak and expose it thru a hole in the slab about the size of a basketball.

Very often yes, but we can not speak for your insurance company.  We strongly recommend that you contact your insurance company with questions regarding coverage.

We will gladly bill your insurance company provided we receive prior verbal or written authorization for the work to be done.

We specialize in leak detection and location only.  However, we are happy to make referrals from a network of over 700 plumbers that we work with and help arrange your repair.

We specialize in identifying structural water intrusion to help correct such problems.

Yes we do plumbing and water intrusion inspections on a regular basis for realtors and potential buyers. We can give you a clean bill of health on your home.

Most pools lose 1/8th to 1/4th inch of water per day to evaporation.  If your pool is losing more than that you likely have a leak in your pool.

Sleuth is a state certified pool contractor specializing in pool leak diagnosis and repair.