Leak Detection and Repair in Santa Barbara
A water bill that jumps, a warm spot on the floor or the sound of water with every tap off can all mean a hidden leak. In a drought-prone region, finding it matters twice. Here is how leaks are tracked down.
The short version
Start with the water meter: turn everything off and watch it. If it moves, there is a leak. Then narrow it down: inside or outside, hot or cold, wall or slab.
- Typical asks: high water bill, damp wall, warm floor, running sound
- Ask about: locating method, access, repair versus reroute
Leaks estimate request
About a minute. Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.
- First test
- All fixtures off; watch the meter or leak indicator
- Common sources
- Toilets, faucets, irrigation, water heater fittings, supply lines, slab pipes
- Locating tools
- Acoustic listening, thermal imaging, pressure tests
- Repair options
- Spot repair, reroute through walls or attic, or repipe
Why leaks matter more here
The South Coast has been through serious droughts; during the 2011–17 drought Cachuma Lake fell to about 7.3 percent of capacity (Wikipedia: Cachuma Lake). Local water suppliers, including the City of Santa Barbara and the Montecito Water District, run conservation programs and publish water-use information (City of Santa Barbara, Water Resources; Montecito Water District). The EPA's WaterSense program estimates that household leaks waste nearly a trillion gallons of water nationwide each year, and that about one home in ten has leaks wasting 90 gallons or more a day (U.S. EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week).
Step one: the meter test
- Turn off every faucet, appliance and the irrigation system.
- Find the water meter and look at the dial or leak indicator.
- If it moves, water is leaving somewhere.
- Close the main shut-off at the house. If the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house, often in the yard.
Common leak sources
- Toilets with worn flappers, often silent. A few drops of food coloring in the tank show it. See toilets.
- Irrigation lines and valves.
- Faucets and supply lines under sinks.
- Water heater fittings and relief valves.
- Pinhole leaks in older copper lines.
- Corroded galvanized pipe in older homes.
- Slab leaks in pipes run under concrete floors.
Finding hidden leaks
Acoustic equipment listens for water escaping a pressurized pipe. Thermal imaging shows warm spots from hot-water leaks. Pressure tests isolate sections. The goal is to open as little wall, floor or yard as possible.
Repair, reroute or repipe
A single leak in otherwise sound pipe is a spot repair. A slab leak may be repaired through the floor or rerouted overhead through walls and the attic. When leaks keep turning up in the same pipe system, a repipe may be the better investment; see repiping.
Damage and drying
Leaks behind walls can soak drywall and insulation. Dry the area thoroughly after the repair. Ask what restoration is included.
Sizing up the job: see what shapes a leak scope on the estimate-factors page. It lists what moves the scope, never a price.
Further reading
- Water Heater Strapping and Earthquakes in California
- Drought, Leaks and Water-Saving Plumbing
- Older Homes: Galvanized, Cast Iron and Clay Pipe
Sources for this page: U.S. EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week; City of Santa Barbara, Water Resources; Wikipedia: Cachuma Lake; Montecito Water District.
Leak Detection & Repair: what people ask
How do I check for a hidden leak?
Turn off all water use and watch the meter. If it moves, there is a leak.
What is a slab leak?
A leak in a water pipe that runs under a concrete floor. Warm spots on the floor and the sound of running water are clues.
Are toilet leaks common?
Very. Worn flappers leak silently. A few drops of food coloring in the tank will show up in the bowl if it leaks.
Can a slab leak be fixed without breaking the floor?
Often the line can be rerouted through walls or the attic instead.
Why do I keep getting pinhole leaks?
It can point to corrosion in older copper. Repeated leaks may make a repipe worth considering.
Does my water district help with leaks?
Many local suppliers run conservation programs. Check with your water supplier.
Leak detection requests by town
Water districts, house age, hillside lots and sewer setups change from one community to the next. Pick yours for local notes.
The city
West: Goleta Valley
East: Montecito to Carpinteria
Often planned alongside
Repiping & Pipe Replacement
Replacing corroded galvanized and failing copper supply lines with new pipe, planned to minimize wall openings.
Toilet Repair & Replacement
Running, leaking, rocking and clogging toilets repaired or replaced, with water-efficient models where it makes sense.
Water Heater Repair & Replacement
Repair or replacement of gas and electric tank water heaters, with seismic strapping, venting and expansion tank details handled to code.
Planning leaks work?
Send the details and expect a call back to talk the project through.