Leak Detection and Repair in Richmond, VA

Leak repair

Leak detection and repair in Richmond starts with the question of where the water is really coming from. A drip under a sink is easy to see. A brown ring on a ceiling, a soft spot in a floor or a water bill that has climbed for three months is harder, because water travels along pipes, joists and framing before it shows, and the stain is often a long way from the leak. We find the source before we open anything, and you get the price for the repair before we start.

Leaks you can see

• Under sinks. Loose compression nuts, worn shut-off valves and supply lines that have aged in place. These are often a short, inexpensive fix, and we replace a seized shut-off at the same time so the sink can be isolated next time.
• Running toilets. A flapper that no longer seals or a fill valve that never shuts off can waste a surprising amount of water without any visible leak, which is why the bill often shows it first.
• Faucets and shower valves. Worn cartridges and seals cause the drip. Many can be rebuilt; an old valve with no parts left gets replaced.
• Water heaters. A drip from a fitting or the relief valve can be repaired. Water coming from the tank itself means the tank has failed, which our water heater page explains.

Leaks you can’t see

Hidden leaks show up as stains, smells and numbers. To find them, the plumber reads the water meter with everything off, takes moisture readings in the walls and floors near the stain, and checks the fixtures above it. A tub or shower drain joint is the classic cause of a ceiling stain under a bathroom. A slab or crawl space leak can show as a warm spot on a floor, the sound of running water with everything off, or a crawl space that stays wet.

When a supply line is the suspect, we can isolate and pressure test sections of the plumbing one at a time to find which run is losing water. That way the wall that gets opened is the right one.

Repair the spot or replace the run

Most leaks are a single failed joint, valve or length of pipe, and the repair is just that spot. But some houses around Richmond have supply pipes that are failing along their whole length: galvanized steel that has rusted from the inside, or the gray plastic polybutylene supply lines found in some homes built before the mid-nineties, which can split without warning. When we find a leak in pipe like that, we fix the leak and tell you honestly what the rest of the pipe looks like. If more leaks are likely, you get a separate written price for repiping so you can plan for it, with no pressure to decide that day.

When a leak has done damage

If a leak has soaked a ceiling, a floor or a cabinet, stop the water first and take photos before anything is moved. We repair the plumbing, and our written report says what failed and how, which is useful if you decide to contact your insurer. Drying out the building and repairing the finishes is work for a restoration company, and we are glad to tell you who we would call.

Catching leaks early

Look under sinks and around the base of toilets and the water heater every few months. Replace braided washing machine hoses and toilet supply lines when they look worn or bulged. Learn where your main shut-off is and make sure it turns. A water leak alarm on the floor beside the water heater or the washer costs little and can turn a flood into a puddle.

Water pouring from a pipe is a job for our emergency plumbing service, any hour. We find and fix leaks across Richmond, Glen Allen and Midlothian.

Leak repair by town

• Leak repair in Richmond, VAFrom the Fan and Church Hill row houses to the brick ranches on the South Side, we fix leaks, clear drains and replace tired pipes and water heaters across the city.
• Leak repair in Glen Allen, VANewer subdivisions and older homes off Mountain Road alike: water heaters, slow drains and the plastic supply lines that split behind a wall.
• Leak repair in Midlothian, VAWooded lots, long sewer runs and roots that find every joint, plus winter nights cold enough to split a pipe in a crawl space.

Guides

• Frozen and Burst Pipes in Richmond: What to DoWhat to do about frozen and burst pipes in Richmond, which pipes are most at risk, how to thaw a line safely and how to keep it from happening again.
• Repiping an Older Richmond House, Step by StepWhat repiping an older Richmond house involves, which old pipes cause trouble, how to tell if yours need replacing and what to ask before you agree to a quote.

Questions about leak repair

• How can I tell if I have a hidden leak?

  Turn off every faucet and appliance that uses water, then look at the water meter. If the dial or the small leak indicator is still moving, water is going somewhere. Other signs are a water bill that jumps without a reason, a damp or musty smell, warped flooring, or paint that bubbles on a wall.

• Will you have to cut into my walls?

  Only where the leak is. We narrow it down first with the meter, moisture readings and, when needed, by testing each line on its own. When a wall or ceiling has to be opened, we cut the smallest opening that lets us repair the pipe properly and tell you before we cut.

• Do you patch the drywall afterwards?

  We leave a clean, square opening that is ready to patch, and on larger jobs like a repipe we close the openings ourselves. For a single repair, the quote says whether the patch is included, so you know whether to book a painter.