Water leak detection in Duluth, GA finds a hidden water leak and marks its location before any wall, floor, or ground is opened. The inspection starts with a meter check, separates an inside leak from a buried line with a shutoff test, and then narrows the remaining section with the checks that fit the symptoms.

Signs you may have a hidden leak

• Your water bill jumped with no change in use — the most reliable early sign of a hidden leak.
• Your meter moves with every tap off — water is passing through the meter when nothing is using it.
• Damp patches, stains, or a musty smell in one spot — moisture is surfacing, often away from the pipe that broke.
• A warm patch on the floor — a hot-water line may be leaking under a slab.
• Lower pressure, or running water you cannot find — a supply line may be losing water before it reaches a fixture.
• A soggy patch in the yard that does not match rain or irrigation — a buried line may be leaking.

Any one sign is worth a call. The meter test guide shows how to check the meter yourself before you call, and the How it works page shows the full inspection in order.

Water leak detection services in Duluth

All five services are listed on the Services page. Detection is not repair — detection locates and marks the leak, and repair at the marked point is discussed after the location is known. The detection vs plumber guide explains when a general plumber is the right first call instead.

Licensed & Insured leak detection in Duluth, GA

We are Licensed & Insured, with experienced technicians and the following credentials: Georgia Master Plumber License, Georgia Journeyman Plumber License, Georgia Business License, Gwinnett County Business License / Occupational Tax Certificate, Certified Leak Detection Specialist, Certified Plumbing Technician, Certified Infrared Thermographer, and Water Damage Restoration Technician (WRT). Licence numbers are not published on this site — ask on the call if you need a number for your records.

Advanced leak detection technology used here

Advanced leak detection technology means checks that narrow a leak without opening to search. Four checks are used here, each with a limit that is stated plainly, because a check without a limit is a claim, not evidence.

Leak detection methods used here, by best use and limit

Method	Best for	Limit
Acoustic leak detection	Pressurised leaks that make sound	Weak on quiet, slow leaks
Thermal imaging technology	Hot-water lines and warm patterns	Weak on cold water; does not see through walls
Moisture meters	Mapping how far dampness has spread	Shows spread, not the pipe break itself
Pressure testing	Separating one section from another	Needs valves and access to isolate sections

Combining methods is what makes a location reliable: a location that several checks agree on is more reliable than a location from a single check. If the checks cannot confirm a location, a careful inspection says so, rather than guessing a spot to open. Full method detail is on the Non-invasive leak detection page.

How to tell if there is a water leak underground

An underground leak is a buried-line leak, and the shutoff test is what separates it from an inside leak: close the house shutoff, and if the meter keeps moving, the leak is likely on the buried line. Signs are a soggy patch that does not match rain or irrigation, a bill spike with no visible source, and a meter that moves with everything off. Common locations of underground water leaks we find are the service line between the meter and the house, a joint or connection on that line, a section under a lawn or driveway, and a line that has been disturbed by roots or ground movement. Each location is narrowed on the line itself before any ground is opened — see the Underground water leak detection page for the full signs and process.

Emergency water leak detection in Duluth, GA

Emergency water leak detection is open 24 hours. An emergency here means a hidden leak that needs a location before repair can be planned — not general plumbing, drain, or water-heater repair, which are different trades. If water is showing right now, follow these steps in order, before any surface is opened:

1. Ask what changed first. When did the bill, the dampness, or the wet patch start, and what changed at the same time — a fixture, a valve, a new wet area? The first change often points to the system involved.
2. Limit damage before opening anything. Shut off the main water valve if it is safe to reach, keep clear of wet electrical outlets and switches, and move valuables away from spreading water. Do not cut a wall, floor, or ceiling to look for the leak.
3. Check fixtures and valves together. Check toilets, taps, and visible connections first, because a running toilet or a visible connection is a simpler answer than a hidden pipe leak, and it changes which service fits.
4. Separate leak water from backup. Clean supply water and drain backup are different problems with different next steps. If water is coming up from a drain, that is not a supply leak question — say so on the call, so the right trade is identified.
5. Confirm before opening surfaces. Call with what you are seeing, your ZIP code, and your meter result if you have done the meter test. The inspection will confirm a location with checks, and any opening that follows is limited to the marked point.

When an emergency is bigger than one fixture — water in several rooms, a sagging ceiling, or a main shutoff valve that will not close — say so on the call. A larger correction, such as rerouting, is discussed only after we mark a location. Response time is confirmed on the call, not promised on this site.

How detection works

1. Meter check. With everything off, does the meter move? A moving meter confirms water is escaping.
2. Isolation. Close the house shutoff. If the meter stops, the leak is inside. If it keeps moving, the leak is likely buried.
3. Narrowing. Acoustic, thermal, moisture, and pressure checks, chosen for the symptoms, narrow the remaining section.
4. Marking. The leak location is marked and explained, with the next step — repair, rerouting, or a further check — discussed after the location is known.

The full workflow, including what each check can and cannot show, is on the How it works page.

Areas served in Duluth

The main pages cover Duluth 30096, including Downtown Duluth, the Town Green area, Pleasant Hill Road, Satellite Boulevard, and the Buford Highway corridor, and Duluth addresses in 30097, including the Sugarloaf area, Sugarloaf Parkway, McGinnis Ferry Road, and Abbotts Bridge Road. The Areas page also lists the paid ZIPs 30095 to 30099 as coverage. Duluth 30097 needs a street address first, because that ZIP overlaps Johns Creek — only Duluth addresses are served on that page. See Duluth 30096 and Duluth 30097 for the full local detail.

What affects the cost of a leak inspection

We do not publish a fixed price, because the fee depends on the leak. The main cost factors are where the leak may be, how easy it is to reach, which checks are needed, and the size and layout of the property. A slab leak under concrete, a buried line under a driveway, and a wall leak behind a finished surface do not cost the same to narrow, and a quote that does not say what it includes is not comparable with one that does. Exact pricing is confirmed on the call — see the FAQs page.

Guides for Duluth homeowners

The Blog has two guides: how to check a water meter for a leak, and leak detection vs a general plumber.

Detection compared with a general plumber visit

Detection compared with a general plumber visit

Question	We, detection first	General plumber
Best when	Source is hidden	Source is visible
Output	Marked location + evidence	Repair
Opening	Marked point only, later	Known problem

What to do first when you suspect a water leak in Duluth, GA

If water is showing, shut off the main valve if it is safe to reach, move items away from the water, and do not dig or open a wall or floor first. Then call (770) 214-4798 with your ZIP code, your symptoms, and your meter result if you have one. That order protects the property and gives the inspection a starting point, instead of widening the damage while you search for the source.

Your water bill and meter: the first checks for water leak detection in Duluth, GA

Start with your water bill history, not just the latest total. Compare volume as well as charge, check how many days the bill covers, and check whether the reading was estimated or actual. Changes in occupancy, irrigation schedules, and appliance use can explain a higher bill without a pipe leak. Then run the meter test with everything off: if the meter moves, water is flowing somewhere in the system, and that result is worth a call.

Irrigation or condensation first? False positives to rule out in Duluth, GA

A wet yard after watering, or damp that comes and goes with cold humid air, is not by itself proof of a pipe leak. Irrigation branches and condensation can both mimic a leak, especially in summer and winter. The meter test separates those cases: a meter that does not move with everything off points away from a flowing pipe leak, while a meter that keeps moving points toward one. We do not claim a pipe leak until the checks support it.

What you will see before anything is opened in Duluth, GA

Detection comes before opening. The inspection narrows the area with the meter test, isolation, and checks such as acoustic listening, thermal imaging, moisture readings, and pressure testing where they fit the leak. What you get is a marked location and an explanation of the next step for repair, not a guess and not an opening made to search. If the checks do not agree, that result is stated as inconclusive, and no wall, floor, or ground is opened on a guess.

Why a hidden water leak in Duluth, GA should not wait

A hidden leak keeps running while it is unlocated, so the bill keeps rising and water keeps spreading beyond the first damp spot. Waiting does not make the location clearer, and it can widen the repair scope once the leak is found. That is why the first checks are simple: compare the bill, run the meter test, shut off the main if water is showing, and call with what you found. No damage timeline is promised here, because it depends on where the leak is and what it reaches.

Common questions about water leak detection in Duluth