Leak Detection in Marble Falls, TX

Find hidden water leaks before they cause major structural damage. Serving Marble Falls, Kingsland, Burnet, and all of the Highland Lakes.

A hidden water leak can cause thousands of dollars in structural damage before you ever see a wet spot on the wall or floor. In the Highland Lakes region, where hard water accelerates pipe corrosion and the limestone geology creates unique slab leak conditions, early leak detection is one of the most valuable plumbing services available to homeowners. Knockout Plumbing Services provides professional leak detection throughout the Highland Lakes, using proven diagnostic methods to locate leaks precisely and minimize the disruption and cost of repair.

What's Included

Our Process

Initial Assessment

We review your water bill history, check your meter, and conduct a visual inspection to determine the likely location and type of leak.

Diagnostic Testing

Using pressure testing, acoustic listening equipment, and other diagnostic tools, we isolate and locate the leak precisely.

Report and Recommendation

We explain exactly where the leak is, what caused it, and what the repair options are, with honest pricing before any work begins.

Repair

We repair the leak using the most appropriate method for its location and cause, minimizing disruption to your home or property.

Why Leak Detection Matters in the Highland Lakes

Water is precious in the Texas Hill Country. During drought periods, which are frequent in the Highland Lakes region, water restrictions can be imposed by municipalities and water utilities, and water costs can rise . A hidden leak that wastes hundreds of gallons per day is not just a structural problem; it is an environmental and financial problem that compounds over time.

The Highland Lakes region also has specific geological and water chemistry conditions that make certain types of leaks more common here than in other parts of Texas. The Edwards Plateau limestone that underlies much of the region creates specific conditions for slab leaks. The extremely hard water, typically 300-400 ppm in Marble Falls and surrounding communities, accelerates corrosion of copper pipes from the inside, leading to pinhole leaks that can go undetected for months. And the clay soils in some parts of the region expand and contract with moisture changes, stressing underground pipes and causing joint failures.

Early detection is the key to minimizing damage. A pinhole leak in a copper pipe inside a wall may drip only a small amount of water per day, but over weeks and months that moisture saturates the wall framing, promotes mold growth, and can cause significant structural damage. By the time the leak becomes visible, as a stain on the wall or ceiling, or a soft spot in the floor, the damage is already extensive. Professional leak detection finds these problems before they reach that stage.

Common Types of Hidden Leaks in Highland Lakes Homes

Slab Leaks

A slab leak occurs when a water line or drain line running beneath the concrete foundation of a home develops a leak. Slab leaks are particularly common in the Highland Lakes region for several reasons. The limestone geology creates a substrate that shifts and settles differently than the clay soils found in other parts of Texas, stressing the pipes embedded in or running beneath the slab. The hard water accelerates corrosion of copper pipes from the inside. And many homes in the region were built in the 1970s and 1980s with copper pipe that is now reaching the end of its service life.

Signs of a slab leak include warm spots on the floor (from a hot water line leak), the sound of running water when all fixtures are off, unexplained increases in water bills, cracks in the foundation or flooring, and mold or mildew growth at floor level. If you notice any of these signs, call us immediately, slab leaks cause damage that compounds quickly and becomes more expensive to repair the longer they go unaddressed.

Pinhole Leaks in Copper Pipe

Copper pipe is the standard water supply material in most Highland Lakes homes built before the 1990s, and it is generally durable and reliable. However, the extremely hard water in this region attacks copper pipe from the inside through a process called pitting corrosion. The high mineral content of the water, combined with the slightly acidic pH that results from dissolved carbon dioxide, creates conditions that cause small pits to form in the interior wall of copper pipes. Over time, these pits deepen until they penetrate the pipe wall, creating pinhole leaks.

Pinhole leaks are insidious because they are small enough to go undetected for long periods. The water may drip slowly inside a wall or ceiling, causing damage that accumulates over months before becoming visible. By the time you see a water stain on your ceiling or wall, the framing, insulation, and drywall behind it may already be saturated and developing mold.

Underground Water Line Leaks

The water line running from the municipal meter or well to your home is underground and largely invisible. Leaks in this line can waste enormous amounts of water, sometimes hundreds of gallons per day, without any visible sign inside the home. The leak may surface as a wet spot in the yard, unusually green grass in one area, or a sinkhole, but in many cases there is no visible sign at all and the only indicator is an elevated water bill.

Underground water line leaks in the Highland Lakes are caused by corrosion of older galvanized steel lines, root intrusion from the native cedar and oak trees that are abundant throughout the region, soil movement, and physical damage from excavation. We locate underground leaks using pressure testing and acoustic detection equipment and repair them with minimal excavation.

How We Detect Hidden Leaks

Water Meter Analysis

The first step in leak detection is often the simplest: checking the water meter. With all water-using appliances and fixtures turned off, we check whether the meter is still registering flow. If it is, there is a leak somewhere in the system. We can then use isolation valves to narrow down which section of the plumbing system the leak is in, the main supply line, the interior plumbing, or the irrigation system.

Pressure Testing

Pressure testing involves isolating a section of pipe and pressurizing it with air or water to a known pressure, then monitoring whether the pressure holds over time. A pressure drop indicates a leak in the isolated section. This method is particularly useful for locating leaks in sections of pipe that are not accessible for visual inspection, such as pipes running under a slab or inside walls.

Acoustic Leak Detection

Water escaping from a pressurized pipe creates a distinctive sound, a hissing, rushing, or thumping noise that varies depending on the pipe material, the water pressure, and the type of leak. Professional acoustic leak detection equipment amplifies these sounds and allows us to locate the leak by moving the sensor along the pipe path and identifying the point of maximum sound intensity. This method can locate leaks under concrete slabs, inside walls, and underground without any demolition.

What to Do If You Suspect a Leak

Immediate steps if you suspect a hidden water leak:

Check your water meter with all fixtures and appliances off. If the meter is moving, you have a leak.
Check your recent water bills for unexplained increases.
Walk through your home looking for wet spots, stains, soft flooring, or mold growth.
Listen for the sound of running water when all fixtures are off.
Call Knockout Plumbing Services at (325) 248-1800 for professional leak detection.

Do not ignore the signs of a hidden leak. The damage caused by an undetected leak compounds over time, and what might be a straightforward pipe repair today can become a major structural repair, involving mold remediation, framing replacement, and flooring replacement, if left unaddressed. Early detection is always less expensive than late discovery.

Leak Detection Service Throughout the Highland Lakes

Knockout Plumbing Services provides professional leak detection throughout the Highland Lakes region, including Marble Falls, Kingsland, Burnet, Horseshoe Bay, Llano, Granite Shoals, Meadowlakes, Spicewood, Bertram, and surrounding communities. We are based in Kingsland and serve the entire region with the same licensed, professional service.

When you call us for leak detection, you get a licensed master plumber (RMP #45640) with over 17 years of experience in the Highland Lakes. We know the specific leak patterns that are common in this region, the hard water corrosion, the slab leak conditions, the underground line failures, and we use proven diagnostic methods to find leaks quickly and accurately. Call (325) 248-1800 to schedule service.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if I have a hidden water leak?

The most reliable indicator of a hidden leak is an unexplained increase in your water bill. If your bill has gone up without a corresponding increase in usage, you likely have a leak somewhere in your system. Other signs include the sound of running water when all fixtures are off, wet spots on walls or floors, mold or mildew growth in unexpected locations, and low water pressure throughout the house.

How do I check my water meter for a leak?

Turn off all water-using appliances and fixtures in your home, then check your water meter. If the meter is still moving, you have a leak somewhere in your system. Most meters have a small leak indicator, a small dial or triangle, that rotates even with very small flows. If this indicator is moving with all water off, call us.

What causes hidden leaks in Highland Lakes homes?

The most common causes of hidden leaks in the Highland Lakes are slab leaks (pipes running under the concrete foundation), hard water corrosion of copper pipes, and root intrusion in underground water lines. The limestone geology of the Highland Lakes region creates specific conditions that make slab leaks more common here than in many other parts of Texas.

Can you find a leak without tearing up my floor or walls?

In most cases, yes. We use acoustic listening equipment and pressure testing to locate leaks precisely before any demolition begins. This allows us to make a targeted repair rather than tearing up large sections of flooring or wall. In some cases, particularly for slab leaks, some concrete cutting is unavoidable, but we minimize the area affected by locating the leak precisely first.

How much does leak detection cost?

Leak detection costs vary depending on the type and location of the suspected leak. Call us at (325) 248-1800 for a straight answer on what diagnostic work will cost for your specific situation.

Do you detect pool leaks?

Yes. Pool and spa leaks are a common problem in the Highland Lakes, where the limestone substrate and seasonal temperature swings can stress pool structures. We can diagnose and locate pool leaks and advise on repair options.

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