A water bill that jumped with no explanation. A warm spot on the floor. A stain spreading across a ceiling. Water you can hear but can’t find. We locate hidden leaks in Indianapolis homes with acoustic and thermal equipment, open up only the spot that needs opening, and repair the pipe properly, whether it’s a pinhole in old copper, a split from a freeze, or a slab leak under the foundation.
Call (317) 676-7903 or book online. Active leaks are handled 24/7 with no overtime fee.
Signs you have a hidden leak
- Your Citizens Energy water bill rose and your habits didn’t.
- The water meter moves when every fixture in the house is off.
- A spot on the floor is warm (hot water slab leak) or a section of carpet is damp.
- Water pressure dropped in part of the house.
- Mildew smell, peeling paint or a soft spot in drywall or a ceiling.
- The sound of running water when nothing is on.
- Cracks appearing in the slab or in interior walls.
Quick test: turn off everything that uses water, note the meter reading, wait 30 minutes without using water, and read it again. If the numbers changed, water is leaving the system somewhere.
How we find leaks without tearing up the house
Acoustic listening. Pressurized water escaping a pipe makes a sound. Ground microphones and listening discs pick it up through concrete, tile and drywall, and the signal is strongest directly over the leak.
Thermal imaging. A hot water leak warms the slab or wall above it; an infrared camera shows the shape of the warm area so we can distinguish a pipe leak from, say, a radiant heating loop.
Pressure and isolation testing. We isolate the hot and cold sides and test each under pressure to confirm which line is leaking and roughly how fast.
Tracer gas. For slab leaks that are small or in a noisy environment, we introduce a harmless gas into the line and detect where it surfaces.
The result is a mark on the floor or wall within a few inches of the leak, so the repair opening is small and the rest of your home stays intact. Detection in Indianapolis typically runs $200 to $450 and is credited toward the repair.
Leaks we repair
Slab leaks
Many south- and east-side Indianapolis homes built from the 1950s onward sit on concrete slabs with copper water lines running underneath. Over decades, soil movement in Marion County’s clay, water chemistry and abrasion against the concrete wear pinholes in those lines. A slab leak can run for months unnoticed, undermining the foundation. We locate it precisely, then either open the slab at that spot and repair the pipe, or reroute the line overhead through walls and ceilings when the pipe is failing in multiple places. Rerouting avoids breaking concrete and is often the better long-term fix.
Frozen and burst pipes
December through February, pipes in crawlspaces, garages, exterior walls and unheated additions freeze and split. The leak often appears when the ice thaws, sometimes days later. We replace the damaged section, check adjacent runs for stress, and insulate or reroute lines that are likely to freeze again. Read our frozen pipe prevention guide.
Pinhole leaks in copper and galvanized pipe
Copper installed in the 1960s through 1990s develops pinholes from internal corrosion, and once one appears, more follow. Galvanized steel lines in pre-1950 homes corrode from the inside until they weep at the threads. One or two pinholes get a section replaced; a pattern of them means it’s time to talk about repiping.
Water line leaks between the street and the house
A soggy strip in the front yard, a meter that spins with everything off, or low pressure throughout the house can mean the main service line is leaking underground. We locate and repair it, or replace it, including lead and galvanized service lines in older homes. See water line replacement.
Leaks at fixtures, valves and water heaters
Supply lines, shutoff valves, tub and shower valves inside the wall, and water heater fittings. Smaller jobs, often done on the first visit.
What leak detection and repair costs in Indianapolis
| Service | Typical Indianapolis range |
|---|---|
| Electronic leak detection (credited toward repair) | $200 – $450 |
| Pipe section repair, accessible | $150 – $500 |
| Burst pipe repair, in wall or crawlspace | $250 – $900 |
| Slab leak repair, direct access through slab | $1,200 – $3,500 |
| Slab leak reroute overhead | $1,500 – $4,500 |
| After-hours surcharge | $0 |
Ranges are typical for Indianapolis; your written quote is exact. See the Indianapolis plumbing cost guide.
Leak detection across the metro
All of Indianapolis plus Carmel, Fishers, Zionsville, Avon, Plainfield and Greenwood.
Frequently asked questions
How much does leak detection cost in Indianapolis?
Locating a hidden leak with acoustic and thermal equipment typically costs $200 to $450 in Indianapolis, and the fee is credited toward the repair. Repair costs depend on where the leak is: $150 to $500 for an accessible section, $1,200 to $4,500 for slab leaks.
How do I know if I have a slab leak?
A warm spot on the floor, a water bill that climbed, the sound of running water with everything off, or a meter that moves during a 30-minute no-use test. Cracks in the slab or walls and damp carpet with no visible source are later signs. Call us before it reaches that stage.
Can you find a leak without breaking the floor or walls?
Yes. Acoustic listening, thermal imaging and pressure testing pinpoint the leak to within inches. We open only that spot for the repair. If the pipe is failing in several places, we usually recommend rerouting overhead so the slab doesn’t have to be opened at all.
My pipes froze last winter. Will it happen again?
If the pipe is in the same unheated space, yes. After the repair we insulate the run, add heat cable where it makes sense, or reroute the line into conditioned space. Our frozen pipe guide covers what you can do yourself before the first hard freeze.
Does insurance cover a slab leak?
Most policies cover the sudden water damage and the cost of accessing the pipe (breaking and repairing the slab), but not the pipe repair itself. Gradual leaks are sometimes excluded. We document the leak location and cause and give you an itemized invoice for your claim.
Why did my copper pipes get pinholes?
Internal corrosion. Water chemistry, velocity at fittings and age all contribute, and once copper from the 1960s to 1990s starts pitting, more pinholes usually follow within a year or two. A couple of pinholes get sectioned out; a pattern means repiping that run.
Is a hidden leak an emergency?
If water is actively damaging the house or you can hear it running, treat it as one: shut off the main and call us, any hour, no overtime fee. A slow slab leak found through a high bill can be scheduled for the next day, but don’t let it wait weeks; it’s eroding the ground under your foundation.
Water always finds the lowest point, and in a house that’s usually somewhere you can’t see. Call (317) 676-7903 and a licensed Indianapolis plumber will find the leak, show you exactly where it is, and fix it once.