A leak you can see is easy to point at. The expensive ones are behind drywall, under a cabinet or along the line from the meter, running for weeks before a stain or a water bill gives them away. Target Plumbers traces leaks in homes and businesses across Orange County and Los Angeles, opens only the spot that has to be opened, and repairs the pipe so it stays fixed.
That’s the check the U.S. EPA recommends, and it matters: the average household’s leaks waste more than 9,300 gallons a year, and nine percent of homes have leaks that waste 50 gallons or more a day (EPA WaterSense).
| What you notice | Where the leak usually is | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Bill up, meter moving, nothing visibly wet | A toilet flapper, the main line in the yard, or a pipe under the floor | Rule out toilets, then line-by-line pressure testing |
| Warm patch on a tile or concrete floor | Hot-water pipe under the slab | Slab leak detection |
| Stain on the ceiling below a bathroom | Shower valve, drain connection or toilet seal above | Check the fixture first, then the supply and drain lines |
| Swollen baseboard or soft drywall near the floor | Supply line inside the wall | Moisture readings and a small inspection opening |
| Soggy lawn or hissing near the meter that never dries | Main service line between meter and house | Locate, then repair or replace the line |
| Water in the sink cabinet | Supply valve, braided supply hose or drain trap | Usually a same-visit repair |
| Sound of running water with everything off | A pressurized line leaking inside a wall or under the floor | Acoustic listening along the line |
| Repair | When it makes sense |
|---|---|
| Spot repair | One pinhole, a failed fitting or a nail puncture in otherwise sound pipe. We cut out the damaged section and join new pipe. |
| Re-run a line | The damaged pipe is hard to reach (under a floor or in a finished wall); a new line through the attic or a wall cavity avoids opening a large area. |
| Main service line replacement | The line from the meter to the house is leaking in several places or is old galvanized steel. |
| Repiping | Leaks keep appearing in different places, which usually means the pipe is failing throughout the house. |
| Slab leak repair | The leak is in a pipe under the concrete floor. |
Repeated pinhole leaks in copper and leaks at fixtures often go together with high water pressure. If we read above the safe range at the hose bib, a pressure regulator check is part of the fix.
Larger repairs, including repiping, can be paid over up to 48 months at 0% on approved credit
Turn off every tap and water-using appliance, then read your water meter and check it again two hours later without using any water. If the reading has moved, water is going somewhere. Other signs are a bill that jumps without a change in use, warm spots on the floor, musty smells, and the sound of running water when nothing is on.
It depends on how many lines we test and how hard the leak is to reach: a single in-wall leak near a fixture is quicker than tracing a line under a yard or slab. We give you the price for detection before we start, and a separate written price for the repair once we know where the leak is.
Usually only a small opening at the exact spot. We narrow the leak down first by testing each line and listening for it, so we don’t cut exploratory holes. Drywall patching and paint after the repair are quoted separately
Policies differ, and many treat sudden damage differently from a leak that went on for a long time. Call your insurer early, take photos before anything is moved, and keep our written findings and invoice for your claim.
In most areas the water company maintains the line up to and including the meter, and the pipe from the meter to the house belongs to the property owner. If the leak is on the street side of the meter, call your water provider first.
If water is spraying, pooling or coming through a ceiling, yes: shut off the main valve and call (844) 941-2727 straight away. A slow drip under a sink or a meter that creeps overnight can usually be booked for the next available visit.
Leak calls across Orange County and Los Angeles County are dispatched from these offices:
Active leak? Shut the main valve and call (844) 941-2727. Meter creeping or a stain that keeps growing? Book leak detection and we’ll call back to set a time.