Active leak right now? Stop the water, then call
If water is on a floor, running down a wall or pooling in the yard, find the main shutoff and close it. The valve usually sits where the water line enters the house, close to the meter. Then call the 24/7 line so we can book a plumber with locating equipment.
If nothing is visibly wet but you suspect a leak, you have a little more time. A hidden leak that has run for weeks can be traced without opening floors, which is why a clear diagnosis comes before any digging.
Signs of a hidden leak in an older home
Leaks rarely announce themselves with a puddle. These are the quieter clues we hear about most.
Water bill climbing for no reason
A slow rise over several months with the same household usually means a toilet, a service line or a buried pipe is losing water.
Meter moving with everything off
If the dial or flow indicator turns when every fixture is closed, water is leaving somewhere.
Warm or damp spots on a floor
A patch of floor that feels warm or soft can mark a hot line leaking in or under the concrete.
Stain on a ceiling or wall
A brown ring that grows after a shower or a washing machine cycle points to a supply or drain line above.
Sound of water at night
A faint hiss or trickle in a quiet house with no fixture running is a classic buried-pipe sign.
Low pressure in the whole house
A drop in pressure across all fixtures can mean the line from the street or the meter has a break.
Water meter running or a high bill: check it yourself first
A five-minute meter test tells you if the leak is inside or outside the house. Do it before you call so the dispatcher knows what to send.
Stop all water use
Turn off faucets, the washer, the dishwasher and the ice maker. Check that no toilet is running.
Read or watch the meter
Find the meter, usually in the basement. Note the small triangle or dial, or write down the digits.
Wait fifteen to thirty minutes
Do not use any water. Come back and read again. Any movement means a leak somewhere on the property side of the meter.
Close the main and test again
Shut the house main valve. If the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and that valve. If it stops, the leak is inside.
Meter still moving?
Call the 24/7 line with your test result. We will bring the right locator for the part of the line that is leaking.
Slab leaks and leaks under basement floors
Many homes in this area have basements, so a true slab leak is less common here than in warmer regions. Still, some houses, additions and garages sit on a poured slab, and a basement floor can hide a line that runs beneath it.
If you feel a warm patch, hear water running when everything is off or see damp concrete that never dries, the pipe may be beneath the slab. Tell us if the house is on a slab, a basement or a crawlspace, since it changes how we trace.
How we find the leak without breaking the floor
We use electronic listening and pressure testing to narrow the section of pipe. Tracing equipment then marks the point on the surface, so any opening in the concrete is small and in the right place.
What happens after we find it
Depending on the pipe, the fix may be a spot repair through a small cut or a reroute above the slab. We explain the options and the price before touching the concrete. See burst pipe repair if the line has failed outright.
Where the leak might be and how we trace it
| Where it shows up | Likely location | How we usually trace it |
|---|---|---|
| Meter runs, house dry. | Service line between meter and curb or inside the meter pit. | Pressure test, then listening and tracing along the line. |
| Warm floor spot. | Hot line in or under the slab. | Thermal reading plus acoustic listening. |
| Ceiling or wall stain. | Supply, drain or fixture above. | Moisture meter, then access panel or small cut. |
| Wet yard patch. | Buried water line. | Isolate sections, then locate with ground microphones. |
| Sewer smell and damp floor. | Drain line leak. | Camera inspection, see sewer inspection. |
Who owns which part of the line
Cleveland Water is responsible for the main and the service line up to and including the curb stop. The customer is responsible from the curb stop inward, including the line to the meter, indoor plumbing and frozen meters.
So a leak between the curb stop and the house is yours to repair, even though it is outside. Cleveland Water customers in Maple Heights can also check their address in the utility's service line inventory, which shows whether a home has a lead service line. That matters if the line needs replacement.
Source type: Utility reportWhat you can do before we arrive
- Find and label the main valveShow the plumber where it is. A stuck valve is worth knowing about before an emergency.
- Photograph the meter and any stainsPictures with dates help us see how fast a leak is moving.
- Clear accessMove boxes from the meter area, the walls under a stain and the floor near a warm spot.
- Write down your billsA sudden jump in the last few bills shows when the leak started.
What affects the cost of leak detection
Finding a leak is a service by itself, and any repair is quoted separately before we start.
Serving Maple Heights and nearby
We do leak detection in Maple Heights and in Garfield Heights, Warrensville Heights and Bedford. For a line that needs replacing between the meter and the house, see water line repair.
Once a leak is found, the repair is made to the Ohio Plumbing Code, OAC 4101:3, and where the line crosses the curb stop the Cleveland Water boundary decides who fixes what.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The emergency line runs 24/7, and an active leak is dispatched first. A slow hidden leak can be booked into the next open appointment.
It could. Run the meter test above, and check toilets for slow running. If the meter moves with everything off, call for tracing.
Yes. We narrow the location with listening and pressure tests, and mark the spot so any opening is small.
Per Cleveland Water, the customer is responsible from the curb stop inward. The utility handles the main and the line up to the curb stop.
Detection finds the leak. We explain repair options and give a clear price before any work begins.
A stain that grows after fixtures run is likely a leak. A stain that appears only in cold, humid weather may be condensation. We use a moisture meter to tell.