A hidden leak is an emergency when the water meter spins with everything off, a ceiling stain keeps growing or a floor feels warm and wet for no reason. Lodi Pro Plumbing provides leak detection 24/7 in Lodi, NJ. While you wait, close the main shutoff if water is visible and keep electronics and valuables away from the wet area.
Leak detection is the process of finding where water is escaping without breaking open the wall or digging the yard. The plumber uses sound, heat, pressure and moisture readings to narrow the search to a few inches. Pinpointing saves money because the repair is small and the opening is small.
Check the meter before you call
A simple test tells you whether a leak exists. It takes ten minutes:
- Turn off every faucet and appliance, including ice makers and irrigation.
- Find your water meter and look at the small leak indicator, often a triangle or dial, or note the number on the display.
- Wait ten minutes without using any water.
- If the dial moves or the number changes, water is leaking somewhere on your side of the meter.
If the indicator stays still but you still see damp spots, the leak may only run when water is on, such as in a shower valve or a drain line.
Meter still moving with everything off? Call (973) 488-5410 and tell the plumber what you saw.
Call (973) 488-5410The tools that find a hidden leak
No single tool finds every leak. The plumber chooses based on where the water shows up:
- Acoustic listening picks up the hiss of pressurized water in pipes, and works well for supply lines.
- Thermal imaging shows temperature differences in walls and floors, which helps with hot water lines and radiant heat.
- Moisture meters measure how wet drywall, wood and concrete are, and map the spread.
- Pressure testing isolates a pipe section and watches for a pressure drop.
- Line tracing follows the path of buried pipe so the plumber knows where to listen.
- Camera inspection looks inside drain lines for cracks and misaligned joints.
The result is a marked location, a plain explanation of the cause and a repair price for that spot. If you want a second opinion before agreeing to a repair, ask for a photo of the marked area.
Where leaks hide in a Lodi house
| Location | Typical clue | Likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| Behind a shower wall | Stained ceiling below, musty smell | Failed valve or supply joint |
| Under a basement slab | Warm patch or damp floor | Cracked supply or drain line |
| Between meter and house | Meter runs, yard stays wet | Failed service line |
| Inside a ceiling | Brown stain that grows | Pinhole in a supply line or a drain leak |
| Around a water heater | Damp floor, rusty base | Fitting or tank leak |
| Under a kitchen sink | Cabinet floor swells | Loose trap or supply connector |
Who owns the pipe between the street and the meter
The location of the leak decides who fixes it. The Passaic Valley Water Commission, which supplies Lodi, keeps a service line inventory that records both utility-owned and customer-owned portions of lines, and the inventory is available at pvwcleadserviceline.com. PVWC's customer service and 24/7 emergency line is 973-340-4300.
If the leak is on the street side of the meter, call the utility. If it is on the house side, call us. A leak in between is common to puzzle over, so we help you work out which side it falls on and what to say to the utility. See water service line repair for the work on the property side.
When to call about a high water bill
A bill that rises with no change in use is a sign. A running toilet can waste hundreds of gallons a day, a leaking supply line wastes more and an irrigation line leak can go unnoticed for months. We find the source, and when the cause is a running toilet or a dripping faucet, the plumber explains the cheap fix. The toilet repair page covers the usual culprit.
What decides the cost of leak detection
- Area
- Checking one bathroom wall is quicker than surveying a whole house or a yard.
- Method
- Acoustic and thermal checks are lighter than camera work and line tracing.
- Access
- Finished walls and floors limit how we reach pipe.
- Repair
- Detection and repair are priced separately so you can decide after the location is known.
The plumber states the detection price before starting, and gives the repair price once the leak is located.
Leak detection questions
Do you offer emergency leak detection at night or on weekends in Lodi?
Yes. The line is open 24/7, and an active leak with a running meter or growing stain is a same-day call. You get a clear price before the plumber begins.
Will you have to open my walls?
The aim is to open as little as possible. We mark the leak, then open a small area at that spot to repair it.
Can you find a leak under a concrete slab?
Often yes, with acoustic gear and thermal imaging. The accuracy depends on slab thickness and the pipe material.
Does leak detection stop the leak?
No, it finds it. Repair is a separate step, and in many cases the plumber can do it on the same visit.
My water bill is high but I see no water. What now?
Run the meter test above. If the meter moves with everything off, call us. If it does not, the cause may be use, such as a running toilet or irrigation.
Code basis. Plumbing work in New Jersey follows the state plumbing subcode, N.J.A.C. 5:23-3.15, which adopts the 2021 National Standard Plumbing Code. Ask which permits apply to your job and confirm with the Lodi Building Department.