9 Signs You Need Leak Detection in Dallas

The sounds of running water aren’t always welcome in Dallas properties. When you're outside in nature, there's nothing more pleasant than the sound of a rushing waterfall or a little babbling brook—but that same noise of running water feels like something out of a nightmare when you hear it coming from the walls of your home or commercial building. That’s a sign you need leak detection in Dallas.

Most people find the drip... drip... drip... of a leaking faucet or the constant sound of water from a running toilet pretty irritating, but at least you know the moisture is safely contained within the fixture. There's no such comfort available when you can hear the water moving behind the walls because that is a big red flag indicating you need help from Dallas leak detection experts—and fast.

A hidden leak can cause a huge amount of costly damage in a very short time, so it really pays to know the signs that your plumbing system is experiencing a problem. If you're able to identify symptoms of trouble early on, you can call a Dallas plumber for leak detection services before it gets way out of control.

When you need professional leak detection in Dallas for your residence or commercial properties, rely on the team of experienced plumbers at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dallas. We have the skill, training, and equipment to not only find the problem but also find innovative solutions to get it repaired fast and stop the damage, so you can rest easy knowing your plumbing system is back in excellent condition.

How to Tell If You Need Leak Detection in Dallas

The first step in getting help with leak detection in Dallas is actually realizing that you need leak detection services. You may think it would be completely obvious, but that's not always the case. Damage can worsen incrementally over time, so the symptoms of trouble kind of sneak up on you. Or, you may think any issues you do notice are being caused by something else.

Here are nine warning signs that you have a leaking pipe somewhere in your water lines or drain lines:

1. Moisture Damage on Walls, Floors or Ceiling

If a broken pipe is causing a water leak inside your house, it's likely that there will be some telltale signs of moisture damage on the wall, floor, or ceiling—or all three. Examine your walls and ceiling (especially the ceiling on your lower floor) for issues such as brown water stains, softening, sagging, bubbling, warping, loose joint tape, popping screws, and other indicators of excessive moisture.

For flooring, you may notice problems such as rotting hardwood floorboards, bubbling vinyl, and soggy patches of carpet. There could also be rotten wood on interior trim such as wall paneling, wainscoting, chair rails, and crown molding.

2. Reduced or Intermittent Water Pressure

Have you noticed fluctuating water pressure coming from your faucets? It might seem fine at one point, then the next time you use your tap it is a lot weaker than normal—or it is consistently a lot weaker than it used to be and you're not sure why. Many homeowners assume this is the fault of their city's water supply system, but that is not necessarily the case. Pressure fluctuations can be caused by a compromised pipe in your water line. Your local Dallas leak detection expert will be able to locate and repair this irritating problem before it gets even worse.

3. Visible Mold or Mildew Growth

Mold and mildew require moisture to begin growing, so if you notice visible mold or mildew growing on your drywall or flooring, it could be a reason to call a Dallas plumber for water leak detection services. That excess moisture has to be coming from somewhere, and a leak in your plumbing system is a major suspect. Mold and mildew are highly damaging to your house but they can also be a health risk for your family, and if you see it growing on a wall or floor surface, there's probably something much worse lurking underneath.

4. Unpleasant Odors

Mold spores begin to grow rapidly once they find a source of moisture, but it often takes a couple of weeks before you actually see them. Sometimes the first hint that you've got a mold problem is an unpleasant, musty odor in the air. Needless to say, it's better for your health and the safety of your property to find the source of the moisture with leak detection services as soon as possible so you can stop mold in its tracks. If the smell is more like the odor of sewer gasses or sulfurous like rotten eggs, especially near drains, it could be related to a sewer leak or a clogged sewer line.

5. Sound of Dripping or Running Water

When someone flushes a toilet or pulls the plug in your bathtub, you can probably hear a “whoosh” sound of a lot of water moving behind your wall from certain parts of your house. That's perfectly normal. What is not normal is hearing dripping or trickling water—either constantly or intermittently—when there's no clear explanation for it.

Aside from the occasional innocent explanation such as condensation dripping inside a pipe, this is a big warning that you could have a burst pipe or deteriorated connection dripping behind the wall and need to call for leak detection in Dallas. Need more information on burst pipes? Check out the essential burst pipe guide for Dallas homeowners.

6. Cracks in Drywall

It may not make sense that a hidden leak would cause cracks in your walls, but it's actually not direct damage in this case. If a buried pipe is leaking underground, it can erode the soil that your foundation is resting on and cause part of the house to begin sinking into the ground, or in some cases, heaving upward. That puts stress on the structure of the house and can cause a whole host of issues such as cracked drywall and crumbling grout. This is a severe problem that happens in advanced cases when the damage has gone undetected for a long time.

7. Mysterious Puddles of Water

If you found a puddle of water on the floor once and you're not sure where it came from, you'd probably just assume it was an accidental spill and wipe it up. But if the puddle reforms in the same spot and you still have no clue how it got there, it's time for—you guessed it—leak detection in Dallas.

This could be caused by a loose or damaged connection where your pipe meets a fixture or appliance, so it's likely that the puddle will be under or near a plumbing fixture, but the water can actually end up pooling a surprising distance away from the source, especially if the path is obstructed by carpet, furniture or other obstacles.

8. Pooling Water or Sudden Lush Spots on Lawn

Is there a spot on your lawn where the grass looks indented, or a big patch of soggy, softened ground that wasn't there before? You may also notice a patch of grass suddenly looks a lot greener and lusher than the surrounding lawn. These are all symptoms of a sewer line leaking underground. The wastewater seeping out can cause environmental destruction, not to mention pose a health risk to you and your family. It can also lead to sinkholes and structural stability issues if the soil is eroded to the point where your foundation begins to sink.

9. Increased Charges on Utility Bill

You're using about the same amount of water that you normally do, but the water use charges on your monthly utility bill have suddenly spiked. That can be caused by damage to supply lines that is causing water loss. If you have a break in your pipes after the water meter, you're being charged on your bill for water that is seeping out of the damaged line. That means you need an appointment for leak detection in Dallas. Your plumber will be able to determine if the increase on your bill is being caused by damage to your water line, or if your plumbing system is losing efficiency for another reason.

How Dallas Plumbers Handle Water Leak Detection

If you're not sure how leak detection in Dallas works, you may be worried that your walls are going to be cut open or your flooring will be pulled up to get access to the pipes. Don’t worry. Our team of Dallas plumbers uses accurate, non-invasive leak detection methods that let us pinpoint the leak location remotely, so we can go straight to the trouble zone to begin Dallas plumbing repairs and give you back your peace of mind. Our innovative leak detection equipment includes:

Video Camera Inspection: While you may not be thrilled to get a good look at what is going on inside your pipes, it can be very helpful for leak detection in Dallas. A small video camera with an LED light is attached to a flexible cable and inserted into your pipe, then maneuvered through the pipe while it records footage. Once it is retrieved, your plumber can play the footage back and interpret it. Sometimes we are able to get a clear indication of the problem location, but a camera isn't always going to deliver because it can't “see” through murky standing water or severe blockages.

Thermal Imaging: Our infrared cameras can detect temperature changes through walls, floors, and concrete to a depth of 30 meters, creating a heat map that shows us where cold or hot water is seeping out of pipes and unnaturally changing temperatures in the surrounding area.

Acoustic Leak Detection: In some cases, it may be necessary to use acoustic listening devices that can help us with leak detection by amplifying the sound of running water so we can get a better idea of what's going on in hidden areas of your plumbing system.

What To Do If You Discover a Leak

If you find a leak in your Dallas home or commercial building, what's the best course of action? First, don't panic. Then follow these steps:

1. If possible, grab a bucket and put it under the leak, or slap some duct tape over it as a (very) temporary measure. Even wrapping an old towel around your pipe can be better than nothing.
2. If it's localized around one fixture, turn off the water to that fixture with its shutoff valve. Otherwise, turn off all the water to your house at your main shutoff valve.
3. Is your leak located in a place where water could come into contact with parts of your electrical system? If so, you should shut off your electricity as well by flipping the main breaker switch in your circuit breaker panel. But if there is a puddle of water under or near the panel, call your electric company to shut it off remotely instead.
4. Open your faucets to release excess pressure in the pipes.
5. Call the professional plumbers at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dallas, any time of the day or night. We'll be at your door as soon as possible to repair the leak and get your plumbing system back in perfect working order. We never charge overtime fees, even for emergency calls, so our services cost the same at 3 am as they do at 3 pm.

Call Our Team if You Need Leak Detection in Dallas

Whether you're in University Park, Preston Hollow, or another part of the Dallas area, you can count on the leak detection professionals at Mr. Rooter Plumbing of Dallas for expert residential and commercial leak detection services. As a locally owned and operated business, we are proud to serve the people of Dallas with the highest standards of workmanship and customer care.

Pick up the phone and get in touch with us today at to schedule an appointment for leak detection in Dallas, or to speak with our knowledgeable customer service staff about what we can do to get your plumbing system restored to perfect working order.