Your water bill came in, and it was way higher than last quarter. Nobody has been taking longer showers. The lawn sprinkler hasn’t run in weeks. Nothing is visibly dripping. When the numbers jump like that with no obvious cause, there is a good chance water is escaping somewhere you can’t see, and that is exactly what Randallstown leak detection is for.
Hidden leaks are sneaky. They drip behind drywall, under slab floors, above finished basement ceilings, and inside the exterior walls of split-level homes. By the time you see a stain, the water has usually been at work for a while.
What Leak Detection Means for Your Randallstown Home
Leak detection is the process of pinpointing where water is escaping from a home’s supply or drain piping without tearing out walls to hunt for it. The Solomon company (Bruce Solomon Plumbing, Heating & Air), whose founder Bruce Solomon holds Maryland Master Plumber License #6867, provides leak detection and pipe leak repair for households across Randallstown, MD and the rest of Baltimore County.
The goal is simple. Find the leak, fix it, and open up as little of your home as possible along the way.
How We Track Down a Hidden Leak
We use a layered approach, starting with the easiest tests and moving to more precise tools as we narrow things down.
The water meter test
This is where we start. We have you shut off every fixture and appliance, then watch the meter. If the dial or low-flow indicator keeps moving with nothing running, water is leaving the system somewhere. We can then isolate branches of the plumbing to figure out which part of the house it is in.
Acoustic listening
Pressurized water escaping through a small opening makes a sound. Sensitive listening equipment lets us hear that hiss through walls and floors and follow it to the loudest spot.
Thermal imaging
A leak in a hot water line warms the surface around it, and a leak in a cold line often cools it. A thermal camera shows those temperature differences on drywall and ceilings, which helps us spot wet areas that look perfectly dry to the eye.
Pressure testing
When we need to confirm a suspected section, we isolate it and pressurize it. If the pressure drops, that section is leaking. This is especially helpful for lines under a slab or buried in a wall cavity.
Using these together keeps the opening small. Instead of pulling down a whole wall, we can usually cut one neat access hole right where the problem is.
Common Causes of Leaking Pipes in 21133
Randallstown’s housing stock spans the 1950s through the 1990s and beyond, and each era has its own leak habits.
Pinhole leaks in copper
Copper supply lines show up in a lot of 1970s and 1980s houses. After decades of service, tiny pinholes can form, often in clusters. Water chemistry plays a role here, and if we keep finding pinholes in the same house, it may be worth looking into water treatment for your Randallstown home to slow down the corrosion.
Corroded galvanized lines
Many of the oldest homes near Liberty Road still have galvanized steel supply pipe. It rusts from the inside out, which lowers water pressure first and eventually leads to leaks at the threaded joints. Patching one spot often buys time, but we will be straight with you if the whole run is near the end.
Frozen pipes in exterior walls and garages
Split-levels and bi-levels often route supply lines through exterior walls, over unheated garages, or near crawlspaces. During the regular winter freezes and occasional hard cold snaps we get in Randallstown, those pipes are the first to freeze. Frozen water expands, splits the pipe, and then floods once it thaws. That is when a burst pipe turns into an emergency.
Leaks at fixtures and appliances
Not every leak is buried. Worn supply lines under sinks, failing shutoff valves, and dripping connections are common too. A slow drip at a kitchen or bathroom tap is often a cartridge or washer issue, which our faucet repair team handles regularly. A leaking tank or relief valve in the basement points to a water heater that may need service or replacement.
Warning Signs Worth Taking Seriously
Any of these deserves a plumber’s attention:
- A water bill that rises with no change in your routine
- The meter moving when every fixture is off
- Stains, bubbling paint, or soft spots on walls or ceilings
- A musty smell in a finished basement or closet
- Warm spots on a floor, which can point to a hot water line under a slab
- The sound of running water when nothing is on
- Lower water pressure than you used to have
If you are on a private well, a hidden leak can also make your pump run far more often than normal. Constant cycling wears it out early, so it is worth checking on your well pump’s condition if you suspect water is escaping somewhere between the well and the taps.
Pipe Leak Repair Randallstown MD Homeowners Can Count On
Once we find the leak, we fix it properly. Depending on what we see, that might mean replacing a short section of copper, swapping out a stretch of galvanized pipe, repairing a burst line in a garage wall, or rerouting a vulnerable pipe away from a cold exterior wall so it doesn’t freeze again.
The people we send have each spent over a decade tracing leaks and repiping houses. Shoe covers go on at your door, tarps go under the work, and the dust leaves with us. Because our trucks carry a deep stock of fittings and pipe, most leak repairs are finished in a single visit.
Some leaks aren’t on the supply side at all. If the camera or the clues point to a cracked drain or a failing lateral outside, our sewer line repair service takes it from there.
Bruce Solomon started this company in 1984, and to this day other plumbers ring him when a leak has them beat. You can learn more about the family behind our company, or see what neighbors have said in reviews from our customers.
Have Us Track Down the Leak
A small leak costs you water every hour it runs, and it can lead to mold and rot behind the walls. Call (410) 833-2188, or tell us about the leak online, and we will try to get someone out quickly, sometimes that same day. For other issues, see our full range of Randallstown plumbing services.
Leak Detection FAQs
How do I check for a hidden water leak in my house?
Turn off every faucet, appliance, and water-using device, then look at your water meter. If the dial or leak indicator is still moving, you likely have a leak. A plumber can then use listening equipment, thermal imaging, and pressure tests to find where it is.
What should I do if a pipe bursts in my Randallstown home?
Close the main shutoff immediately, usually located beside the water meter where the line enters the house. Turn off power to any area where water is near outlets or electrical equipment. Then call a plumber to repair the pipe and check for other freeze damage.
Can you find a leak without tearing open my walls?
Usually, yes. Acoustic listening, thermal imaging, and pressure testing let us narrow a leak down to a small area first. That way we can make one small access opening instead of removing large sections of drywall.
Why do copper pipes get pinhole leaks?
Pinhole leaks usually form from slow internal corrosion over many years. Water chemistry, high water velocity, and the age of the pipe all play a part.
Caring Technicians
Our technicians know how to treat your home with respect. We come prepared with booties and drop cloths to protect your home.
Always On Time
Your time is very important to us. We strive to show up at your home when we say we will fully equipped for the job.
We Focus On You
You're our first priority! We will not leave you to service a new or bigger job. We focus on outstanding customer service!
Locally Owned
We don't just work here, we live here, too! We know all of the homes in the areas we serve and are familiar with your home's model.