Slab Leak Detection in Marietta, GA
A slab leak is a water leak in a pipe located beneath or within a building’s concrete foundation. Slab leak detection uses diagnostic testing to locate the suspected failure before unnecessary concrete or flooring is opened.
Because the pipe is concealed, the first warning may be a warm floor, unexplained water usage, damp flooring, reduced water pressure, or the sound of water when no fixtures are running.
Georgia Water Leak Detection provides professional slab leak detection in Marietta, Cobb County, metro Atlanta, and nearby areas. We use pressure testing, acoustic equipment, thermal imaging, and other appropriate diagnostic methods to narrow down leaks beneath concrete before unnecessary demolition begins.
The goal is to answer the question that matters before anyone opens the floor: Where is the leak?
Most of the time the concrete only gets opened at one exact spot, if it gets opened at all. Call (470) 454-5051 and we’ll tell you what we find.
What Are the Warning Signs of a Slab Leak?
Common signs of a slab leak include unexplained water usage, a moving water meter when fixtures are off, warm or damp flooring, reduced water pressure, and the sound of running water beneath the floor.
Possible warning signs include:
- An unexplained increase in the water bill
- A water meter that continues moving with fixtures turned off
- A warm area on tile, hardwood, or another floor surface
- Damp carpet or flooring
- Buckled or lifting flooring
- The sound of running water beneath the floor
- Reduced water pressure
- Persistent musty odors or moisture
- Water appearing near the foundation
- Unexplained moisture along baseboards or lower walls
A warm floor can be particularly noticeable when a hot-water line is leaking beneath the slab. Cold-water leaks may be less obvious. These symptoms can have other causes, so professional testing is important before assuming the concrete needs to be opened.
How Do You Detect a Water Leak Under Concrete?
A leak beneath concrete can be investigated using plumbing isolation, pressure testing, acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, and additional diagnostic methods when necessary.
The first step is not breaking concrete. It is determining whether the plumbing system is losing water and narrowing down which line is involved.
Confirm the Leak
Meter and plumbing-system checks can help establish whether unexplained water loss is occurring.
Separate Hot and Cold Water Lines
Hot and cold lines can be tested separately. Identifying which side is losing pressure reduces the area that needs further investigation.
Pressure Test the Plumbing
Pressure testing helps determine whether an isolated plumbing line is holding pressure as expected. Pressure loss can provide evidence that the line is leaking.
Scan for Temperature Differences
Thermal imaging uses infrared technology to identify temperature differences across a surface that may be associated with certain hidden leaks. It can be particularly useful when hot water escaping beneath a slab changes the temperature of the materials above it.
Listen Through the Concrete
Acoustic leak detection uses specialized listening equipment to identify sounds and vibrations created by water escaping from a pressurized pipe beneath the slab. Those signals can help narrow down the suspected leak location.
Use Additional Testing When Necessary
Some leaks are more difficult to isolate than others. Additional methods, including tracer gas when appropriate, can provide more diagnostic information. Multiple pieces of evidence can then be considered together to narrow down the suspected location.
Do You Have to Break Concrete to Find a Slab Leak?
No. Professional slab leak detection can often locate or narrow down a suspected leak before concrete is opened.
Finding a slab leak and accessing the damaged pipe are two different stages.
Depending on the repair selected, some physical access may eventually be necessary. In other situations, the repair approach may involve rerouting plumbing rather than opening the slab directly above the failure.
Those decisions should be made after the leak has been located rather than using concrete removal as the search method.
Does a Warm Floor Mean You Have a Slab Leak?
A localized warm area can be a sign of a leaking hot-water line beneath a slab, but a warm floor alone does not prove that a slab leak is present.
Temperature changes can provide useful diagnostic information when combined with water usage, meter activity, pressure testing, thermal imaging, and other findings.
Professional testing helps determine whether a plumbing line beneath the floor is actually losing water.
What Is the Difference Between a Slab Leak and an Underground Leak?
A slab leak involves plumbing beneath or within a building’s concrete foundation. An underground leak generally involves a buried water line outside or away from the building’s slab.
Both problems involve concealed plumbing, but the location affects the testing approach, access, and potential repair.
If the suspected leak is outside the foundation, see our underground water leak detection service.
If you know water is being lost but have no idea where it originates, start with our water leak detection service.
What Causes a Slab Leak?
Slab leaks can be associated with factors such as aging plumbing, corrosion, high water pressure, stress at fittings or bends, movement around the pipe, abrasion, or installation-related problems.
The specific cause cannot be determined simply from the fact that a slab leak exists. The immediate priority is locating the water loss. Once the affected area is identified and the pipe can be evaluated, the condition of the plumbing can help determine the appropriate repair.
Why Is Pinpointing a Slab Leak Before Repair Important?
Pinpointing a slab leak before repair helps direct any necessary access toward the suspected failure instead of opening multiple areas to search for the damaged pipe.
Concrete, flooring, cabinetry, and other finished materials may sit between the technician and the plumbing.
Before repair begins, professional detection can help answer:
- Is there actually a plumbing leak?
- Is the affected line hot or cold?
- Where does testing indicate the leak is located?
- Is the suspected failure beneath the slab?
- What type of access or repair makes sense based on the findings?
The more useful information available before surfaces are opened, the more targeted the next step can be.
Why Choose an Experienced Slab Leak Detection Team?
Slab leak detection requires more than identifying moisture. It requires interpreting pressure, sound, temperature, plumbing layout, and other diagnostic information to narrow down a concealed failure.
Georgia Water Leak Detection has 16 years of experience locating difficult hidden water leaks throughout Marietta and metro Atlanta.
Our licensed and insured team includes 20+ plumbers and managers with experience using professional leak detection equipment to investigate concealed plumbing problems without relying on unnecessary exploratory demolition.
Same-day service is available when scheduling permits, and 24-hour emergency service is available for urgent leak situations.
Can Slab Leaks Occur in Commercial Buildings?
Yes. Commercial buildings can develop leaks in pressurized water lines located beneath concrete floors and foundations.
Locating these leaks can be particularly important when the affected slab is beneath a retail space, restaurant, office, multifamily property, warehouse, or another occupied commercial area.
Our commercial leak detection service addresses hidden water loss in commercial properties, including suspected slab and underground water-line leaks.
What Happens After a Slab Leak Is Found?
After a slab leak is located, the findings are used to determine an appropriate repair approach based on the pipe, location, accessibility, and nature of the failure.
A localized repair may make sense in one situation, while rerouting a line can make more sense in another.
Georgia Water Leak Detection provides detection and repair. When we perform the repair, the detection fee is waived.
Slab Leak Detection Service Areas
Georgia Water Leak Detection provides slab leak detection throughout Marietta, Cobb County, metro Atlanta, and nearby areas.
Our current service area includes communities such as Marietta, Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Roswell, Alpharetta, Kennesaw, Woodstock, Brookhaven, and other surrounding metro Atlanta areas.
We are based at:
2985 Gordy Pkwy Suite 116
Marietta, GA 30066
If you suspect a slab leak and are unsure whether your property is within our service area, call (470) 454-5051.
Slab Leak Detection FAQs
Common signs include unexplained water usage, a moving meter when water is off, warm or damp flooring, sounds of running water beneath the floor, reduced pressure, and persistent moisture near the foundation.
Yes. Pressure testing, thermal imaging, acoustic equipment, and other appropriate diagnostic methods can be used to investigate a suspected slab leak before concrete is opened.
Not necessarily. A localized warm area can be associated with a leaking hot-water line beneath the floor, but professional testing is needed to determine whether a plumbing line is actually losing water.
No. A slab leak involves plumbing beneath or within a concrete foundation. An underground leak generally involves a buried water line outside or away from the building’s slab.
The findings are used to determine an appropriate repair approach. Depending on the plumbing and location, that could involve targeted access, pipe repair, or rerouting.
Yes. Pressurized water lines beneath commercial concrete slabs can also develop leaks.
Suspect a Leak Under Your Foundation?
You do not need to start breaking concrete to find out.
Georgia Water Leak Detection uses professional diagnostic equipment to locate suspected slab leaks in Marietta, Cobb County, metro Atlanta, and nearby areas before unnecessary demolition begins. Call (470) 454-5051 to schedule slab leak detection.
