How Much Does Leak Detection Cost in Tampa? 

Worried you have a hidden plumbing leak?

The first step is to hire a company who offers leak detection services.

Note: A leak detection service only finds out where the leak is, it does not include the cost to FIX that leak.

What you’ll end up paying for leak detection depends on:

1. Location of the Leak
2. Equipment Needed to Detect the Leak
3. Who You Hire

We’ll go into more detail about each of these factors. But first, let’s look at signs that confirm you actually have a plumbing leak and should call a professional.

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Signs You May Have a Hidden Plumbing Leak

If you notice any of these signs, you should contact a professional immediately to perform a leak detection service:

• You’ve noticed a significant spike in your water bill—that doesn’t match your household’s recent water usage.
• Your water meter indicates you have a leak. Go to your water meter and look at the water leak indicator. The faster it spins (when no water appliances are running in the home), the more water is leaking. Watch this video that explains how to find your water meter and read it properly.
• You can see water stains/discoloration on your ceiling or floor.
• You see mold or mildew on walls in your home. Leaks hiding behind walls will often cause mold to grow (since mold grows in damp, dark places). So if you notice mold or mildew growing on walls, you could have a leak.

Notice any of those signs? First, schedule a leak detection ASAP. It’s important to fix a leak quickly so you don’t risk water damage to your home, which can cost thousands of dollars to repair.

If you want to learn more about what goes into a leak detection, read on...

Factors That Affect the Cost of a Leak Detection Service

#1: Location of the Leak 

Leaks located in certain “hard-to-reach” locations make the leak detection job very difficult, which raises the cost of the service.

The following areas are considered hard-to-reach locations:

• Slab leaks, which are located under your home’s foundation.
• Ceiling leaks, which means a plumbing pipe in an upstairs room or attic has a leak.
• Roof leaks, which means moisture is entering your home through the roof.

If you have any of the leaks above, the plumber may have to cut into walls, floors, or ceilings to pinpoint the exact location of a leak. This increases labor time because the professional will need to repair any holes in the wall/ceiling/floor afterward.

#2: Equipment Needed to Detect the Leak 

Any leak detection that requires demolition equipment (like a jackhammer) will be more expensive because of the additional cost to restore your lawn, wall, or ceiling.

Demolition equipment is often used as a last resort when other basic leak detection tools don’t work.

“Basic” leak detection equipment include:

• Hydrostatic Water Testing
• Slab Leak Listening/Acoustic Devices
• Infrared Cameras
• Smoke/Tracer Gas Testing

#3: Who You Hire 

The plumber you hire to perform the leak detection will affect how much you’ll pay.

Here’s why: Plumbers charge differently based on their level of experience and the quality of work they do.

Generally speaking, more experienced contractors who provide quality work charge more for their services.

Don’t let that scare you, though: You want an experienced and honest professional to accurately find your leak so you avoid MUCH more expensive problems like…

• A misdiagnosed leak (i.e. thinking a leak is in one place, then digging/cutting through walls only to find it’s not there).
• A plumber who causes structural damage because of sloppy work.
• A dishonest plumber who offers low-priced leak detection as bait, then a super expensive quote to fix a severe leak that doesn’t actually exist (or it’s not as expensive as the plumber claims).

So to avoid those problems, as you shop for a prospective contractor ask yourself these 3 questions:

1. Are they licensed and insured? (Hint: If they are registered with the Better Business Bureau, they are licensed, bonded, and insured).
2. Do they have good online customer reviews? (Check sites like Google, Yelp, and Facebook).
3. Do they give honest, upfront pricing? (They’ll often give you a written estimate before they start the leak detection project).

If you answered “yes” to those questions, then that means the plumber likely does good work and is honest, so you should feel comfortable hiring them.

Tip: Some plumbers will waive the cost of the leak detection if you hire them to repair the leak. Before you hire them, ask the plumber if they offer this discount.

Need Leak Detection by a Tampa Plumber?

We’ll send over one of our certified and professional plumbers to find your leak so we can get it fixed ASAP.

We service the Tampa–Clearwater–St. Petersburg metro area.