A leak rarely announces itself. It shows up as a water bill that doesn't add up, a musty smell in a closet, a warm spot on the floor above a slab, or a hiss behind drywall that nobody can quite place. By the time water is visible, it has often been running for weeks. Pasco Plumbing's leak detection and repair service is built around finding that source quickly and confirming it, rather than guessing and opening up walls or flooring on a hunch.
We work on leaks throughout Washington, from older homes in Seattle and Tacoma with decades-old galvanized supply lines to newer construction in the Tri-Cities dealing with slab leaks or irrigation line breaks. Whatever the property, the approach is the same: locate the leak precisely, explain what we found in plain language, give you a free estimate for the repair, and only then start cutting or opening anything.
On The Job — Leak DetectionFree Estimate: We'll assess the problem and give you a clear, upfront price before any work begins — every time, no exceptions.
Signs You Need Leak Detection & Repair
- A water bill that jumps without a clear reason like a new appliance or extra guests
- The water meter still spinning when every fixture in the house is off
- Warm patches on flooring, which often point to a hot water line leaking under a slab
- Mold, mildew, or a musty smell in one part of the house that doesn't go away
- Water stains spreading across a ceiling or down an interior wall
- Low water pressure at one or more fixtures while others seem normal
- The sound of running or dripping water when no fixture is in use
- Cracks in a foundation or unexplained soft, soggy spots in the yard
How We Actually Find The Leak
Guesswork is expensive, because it usually means opening drywall, tile, or flooring in the wrong spot before finding the right one. We start with non-invasive methods first: checking static water pressure, isolating sections of the plumbing system to narrow down where water is escaping, and using acoustic listening equipment to pick up the distinct sound a pressurized leak makes moving through pipe or soil.
For leaks under slabs or behind finished walls, we combine that acoustic work with visual inspection at accessible points — water heaters, shutoff valves, crawl spaces, and exterior hose bibs are common culprits that get checked early since they're easy to rule in or out. The goal at every step is to narrow the search area before anything gets opened up, so repairs stay as targeted and affordable as possible.
Common Leak Locations We See Across Washington
Slab leaks are common in homes built on concrete foundations, especially where copper supply lines have been in the ground for many years — hot water lines tend to fail before cold ones because heat accelerates pipe wear. In older homes throughout the state, galvanized steel pipe corrodes from the inside out, which can produce pinhole leaks that are easy to miss until pressure builds and the pinhole becomes a spray.
Outdoors, irrigation lines and exterior hose bibs are frequent sources of unexplained water loss, particularly heading into and out of Washington's colder months when a line that wasn't fully drained can crack. Under sinks, supply line connections and drain traps loosen over time from normal use and temperature changes, leading to slow drips that pool inside cabinetry long before they're noticed.
What Happens After We Find It
Once we've pinpointed the source, we walk you through exactly what's leaking, why, and what the repair involves — including whether it's a simple fitting or valve replacement, a section of pipe that needs to be cut out and replaced, or a longer-term issue like widespread galvanized pipe corrosion that might be better solved with repiping. You get a free estimate before we do any of that work, so you're deciding with real numbers in front of you, not guesses.
Repairs are done with attention to leaving the space as close as possible to how we found it. If access to a slab leak requires cutting into flooring, we talk through that with you first. If a wall needs to be opened, we cut cleanly and keep the opening as small as the repair allows.
Our Process
Describe The Problem
Call and tell us what you're noticing — a sound, a stain, a bill spike. That detail helps us bring the right equipment.
On-Site Diagnosis
We use pressure testing and acoustic equipment to narrow down the leak's location before opening anything up.
Free Estimate
Once we know what's leaking and why, you get a clear, upfront price for the repair.
Repair & Confirm
We complete the fix, then re-test the system to confirm the leak is fully resolved before we leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
We start with pressure testing and acoustic listening equipment to narrow the search area before anything gets opened. In most cases we can isolate a leak to a small section of wall, floor, or yard before doing any cutting.
Yes. Even a slow, steady drip can rot subflooring, feed mold growth behind walls, and undermine a foundation over months. Water damage tends to be far more expensive than the leak repair itself, which is why catching it early matters.
Yes, we handle exterior leaks including irrigation lines, hose bibs, and underground supply lines in addition to interior plumbing leaks.
If we find additional issues once we're in the wall or under the slab, we stop and talk you through it before doing any additional work or changing the estimate.
Yes — we're available 24/7 for active leaks, especially ones that are actively flooding a space or can't be shut off at the fixture.
While we can't promise a leak will never happen again anywhere in your home, we make sure the specific repair is done to hold up long-term, and we'll flag any other at-risk areas we notice during the visit.
It depends on the leak's location and how much diagnostic work is needed. You'll always get a free estimate before any repair work begins, so there's no cost to find out.