Water Is Running Somewhere You Cannot See: What to Do First
Hidden leaks do their worst damage in the first few hours. These three moves cost nothing and often save the drywall, the flooring, and the water bill.
Stop the water at the main.
Find the main shutoff valve for the house. A gate valve takes several full turns clockwise, while a ball valve (a lever handle) needs a quarter turn so the handle sits crosswise to the pipe. If the valve will not move or the leak is outside, leave it alone and call us.
Protect people and electronics.
Water and electricity do not mix. If water is dripping through a ceiling light, near a panel, or around outlets, stay clear and switch off that breaker only if the panel and floor around it are completely dry.
Take two minutes of notes.
Write down where you see stains, damp spots, or hear hissing, and snap a photo of the water meter dial. Those details shorten the search because a plumber can start at the wet zone instead of the whole house. Then call (817) 601-6266 and we will line up a licensed plumber.
The Meter Test: Proving a Hidden Leak in 20 Minutes
Your water meter is the most honest witness in the house. It counts every gallon that passes, including the ones that vanish into a slab or a yard. If it moves when nothing is running, water is leaking somewhere on your side of the meter.
The test is simple, and it works at any hour. It also explains most of the high-bill calls we get in Crowley, where a small leak can run for weeks before anyone notices.
Finding the leak is only half the job, because the repair has to meet the plumbing code standard too. Crowley has adopted the 2021 International Plumbing Code, and any permit questions go to the Community Development office.
How to run it
Turn off every faucet, the ice maker, the dishwasher, and the washing machine. Open the meter box lid and look for the small leak indicator, a tiny triangle or star dial that spins when even a trickle moves through. Note the position of the sweep hand or the last digit, wait 15 to 30 minutes with the water off, and look again.
If the indicator is still turning or the number has crept up, you have a leak. If it holds perfectly still, your leak is probably not constant, and the problem may be a toilet flapper or a pressure-triggered leak that only shows when a fixture cycles.
What a moving meter tells you
Close the main valve at the house and check the meter again. If the dial stops, the leak is inside the house or on the house side of that valve. If the dial keeps spinning with the valve closed, the loss is between the meter and the shutoff, which points to the service line.
For the meter itself, the box, or where the city side of the line ends, call City of Crowley Public Works at 817-297-2201. Ask them where the city side ends and bring up any leak you can see at the meter, since we cannot assume who maintains what.
Symptoms, Likely Causes, and What Happens Next
Most hidden leaks announce themselves in small ways. Use this as a field guide, then call us when two or more of these show up together.
| What you notice | Likely cause | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Water bill climbs with no change in habits. | Running toilet, slab leak, or underground service line leak. | Run the meter test, then book detection. |
| Warm spot or hot patch on a floor. | Hot water line leaking under the slab. | Shut off the water heater and call right away. |
| Sound of running water at 2 a.m. | Pressurized leak in a wall, attic, or buried line. | Close the main valve and call. |
| Brown stain growing on a ceiling. | Supply or drain leak above, or an HVAC drain overflow. | Place a bucket, stay clear of fixtures, call. |
| Musty smell, peeling paint, bubbling baseboard. | Slow wall leak or leaking shower valve. | Moisture mapping and a thermal scan. |
| Soggy patch or lush grass strip in the yard. | Irrigation, service line, or pool plumbing leak. | Pressure test and line locating. |
A stained ceiling can also come from a roof leak. We can tell the difference with a moisture meter and by testing the plumbing.
Why Crowley Water and Soil Make Leaks Hard to Catch
The City of Crowley's 2025 Water Quality Report lists pH between 7.8 and 8.5, which is mildly alkaline. That is not an acidic, pipe-eating profile, so when we find a pinhole in copper here we also look at water velocity, a poor joint, or where the pipe touches soil or concrete. The point for you is that a leak is usually a local failure, not a sign every pipe in the house is about to go.
The ground matters too. In this part of North Texas the clay soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry, which can stress pipes that pass through or under a slab. That movement is a common reason a line that held for years suddenly weeps, and it is why we test the pipe itself instead of guessing from the stain.
Where Hidden Leaks Live in a Home
Each location needs a different method. Here is how we think about the six places callers describe most.
Under the slab
Slab leaks hide in lines running through concrete, so we listen with ground microphones and confirm with thermal imaging. A confirmed slab leak moves to slab leak repair, where you choose between rerouting and breaking the floor.
Service line
The pipe from the meter to the house can leak in the yard, with a wet strip or sunken spot as the clue. We pressure-test it and trace its path with a locator before any digging starts. Repairs fall under water service line repair.
Ceiling and walls
Stains and soft drywall can come from a supply line, a drain, or a tub overflow. We probe with a moisture meter, scan with thermal imaging, and open a small inspection hole only when we know where to cut.
Crawlspace and pier-and-beam
Homes with a crawlspace let us inspect lines from below. We look for dripping joints, wet insulation, and soil that stays damp, and we do not ask you to crawl in yourself.
Irrigation
A stuck zone valve or cracked lateral can drain gallons into a yard all day and night. Crowley's local IPC amendment, section 608.17.5, does not allow a valve downstream of an atmospheric vacuum breaker on lawn irrigation, so we check how yours is plumbed.
Pools and spas
Pool water loss can be evaporation or a crack in a return line. We pressure-test the plumbing lines in sections to find which one is losing water, and we leave the pool shell to a pool specialist.
How We Find a Leak Without Tearing Up the House
A good leak detection visit follows a sequence, and every step rules something out. We confirm the leak with the meter and a pressure gauge, isolate which line is losing water, and then pinpoint the spot. Skipping the sequence is how people end up with three holes in a wall.
We bring several tools because no single one solves every leak. Each is matched to the pipe and the surroundings.
Pressure testing and isolation
We close off sections of the system and watch a gauge. A needle that falls on the hot side only points to the hot line, and a drop on the cold side narrows it to a different run. Isolating lines this way can cut a search from an entire house to a single wall or a section of floor.
Acoustic and thermal tools
A ground microphone amplifies the hiss of pressurized water as it escapes. A thermal imaging camera reads temperature differences on floors and walls, which is useful for hot water leaks in a slab. We cross-check both with a moisture meter before marking anything.
Tracer gas and camera work
For stubborn leaks we can fill a line with a harmless tracer gas and sniff the surface with a sensor. If the suspect line is a drain, a sewer camera inspection, which you can read about under sewer inspection, shows cracks, root entry, or a bellied pipe from the inside.
Meter spinning with every tap off?
Call our 24/7 line and a licensed plumber will talk you through the next steps and set a same-day appointment when available.
What You Can Check Yourself and When to Call
A few checks cost nothing and rule out the easy culprits. Others need equipment and a licensed plumber.
Safe for you to do
- Run the meter test and write down the numbers.
- Look under sinks for damp cabinets or dripping stops.
- Drop food coloring into the toilet tank and watch the bowl for 15 minutes.
- Check the water heater pan and the area around the tank.
- Inspect hose bibbs and irrigation valve boxes for standing water.
Time to call a plumber
- The meter runs with the main valve closed.
- A floor feels warm or you hear hissing in a wall.
- Water stains appear and spread within a day.
- Your bill doubled and the toilets and fixtures check out.
- You see foundation cracks near a wet area, which needs a plumber and possibly a foundation specialist.
What Affects the Price of Leak Detection
We give you a clear price before work starts, and it depends on the job's size, not a flat guess. These are the factors that move it.
Homeowners policies usually cover sudden and accidental damage, such as a burst pipe, and usually do not cover slow leaks or wear. Some carriers also help with the cost of finding a covered leak. Ask your carrier before work starts, and we will give you a written report of what we found.
When Your Utility Line Is the Problem
The City Side and the Home Side
Public Works handles water distribution and sewer collection for the city. If you hear water at the street or the meter box is flooded, call Public Works at 817-297-2201, and after hours the city lists Police Dispatch at 817-297-2276 for water breaks and sewer backups. We cannot tell you where the city side ends, so ask Public Works and we handle the home side.
After Hours, Weekends, and Same-Day Visits
Leaks do not keep office hours, and neither does our dispatch. A licensed plumber can usually be scheduled the same day when available, including evenings and weekends, and we never promise a set arrival time. What we do promise is a clear price before work starts.
Commercial properties get the same approach. A leaking line in a shop or restaurant often needs detection after closing, which we can schedule, and you can read how that works on our commercial plumbing page. If your leak sits near a bathroom, we also handle the fixture side, such as a failing supply on a toilet, covered under toilet repair.
Leak Detection Across Crowley and Nearby Towns
We are based on S Crowley Rd and travel along FM 1187 and FM 731 to homes across the city. The growth between 2010 and 2020 means many Crowley neighborhoods are newer, but a newer house can still have a loose fitting or a bad joint. The age of a home does not tell us where water is escaping.
We also serve Burleson, Everman, and Forest Hill, so the same detection crew can reach you whether the leak is in Crowley or just over the line.
Leak Detection Questions We Hear Most
Yes. Our line is open 24/7, and a licensed plumber can come out the same day when available, including nights and weekends. Shut off the main water valve while you wait and keep clear of wet outlets.
We cannot promise an arrival time, but we will tell you honestly what to expect when you call.
Run the meter test: turn everything off, read the meter, wait 15 to 30 minutes, and read it again. If the numbers moved or the leak indicator spins, water is escaping.
A running toilet is the most common cause, so check those before booking detection.
Yes, in most cases. We pressure-test lines, use ground microphones, and scan with thermal imaging to mark the spot within a small area before any concrete is cut. Breaking the slab is the last option, not the first.
Detection finds the leak. Repair is a separate step that we quote clearly before starting, such as a spot repair, a reroute, or a replacement section. You can approve the repair or take the report to another plumber.
We can tell you if the loss is between the meter and the house or inside the house. For where the city side ends, call Public Works at 817-297-2201 and ask them, since we do not assume ownership.
Constant moisture under or beside a slab can soften the soil. In clay soil like we have in this part of North Texas, the swelling and shrinking cycle may follow. If you see new cracks near a known leak, mention it to us and consider a foundation specialist.
Coverage varies. Policies usually cover sudden and accidental water damage and often exclude slow leaks and wear. Call your carrier before work starts, and ask whether they pay for finding the source.