What Happens During a Leak Detection Visit?
What happens during leak detection is this: we come in, walk your home with you, test with no-break tools, and show you what we found. The visit takes 1 to 3 hours. Your floors stay whole. At the end you get fix choices with set prices. No push to pick on the spot.
This is step 3 of our slab leak repair process. New to prep? See how to get set for your visit.
When Will Your Technician Arrive?
You get a set time slot when you book. Not a vague “some time today.” We do our best to hit it. If roads or a past job shift us, we call you. Keep your phone on you.
At your door, your tech says hello first. They walk you through the plan. You will know each step and how long it takes. Then we start.
What if I must move the time? Call us at (833) 542-3027. We are open 24/7. We will book the next free slot.
How Does the Detection Process Work Step by Step?
Here is the visit, start to end:
- Walk with you. We tour your home with you. You show warm spots, damp zones, and where you heard sounds. Your notes help here.
- Meter and force check. We read your water meter. We test line force. A live meter with taps off means water gets out some place.
- Sound hunt. We place sound gear on the floor. It hears water move under the slab. Leaks make a clear sound.
- Heat scan. A heat camera reads floor warmth. Hot leaks show warm. Cold leaks show cool.
- Gas test, if we need it. For small leaks, we fill the line with safe gas. Floor probes find where gas gets out.
- Damp map. Damp meters show how far water went. This shapes the fix plan.
- Mark the spot. We blend all reads. We mark the leak zone. We land within about 1 to 3 feet.
Will any step harm my floors? No. Each step reads through floors. We cut, drill, or break nothing while we hunt.
What Questions Will Your Technician Ask You?
We ask plain things to aim our tests. You may hear:
- When did you first spot the signs?
- Do you hear water with taps off?
- Which rooms feel warm or damp?
- Did your bill jump lately?
- Have cracks shown in floors or walls?
- Did anyone work on your pipes lately?
Short true words are best. You need no special skills. What you saw and when is all we need.
What if I lack the words? That is fine. Say what you can. Our tools do the hard part. Your words just point them right.
How Long Will the Visit Take?
Visits take 1 to 3 hours. Clear signs can wrap near one hour. Hidden leaks take more. We test more zones to be sure.
The price chat after adds 20 to 30 mins. Plan for half a day. You will never feel rushed.
Why might it take the full three hours? Big homes take long to scan. Faint leaks need more listen time. And if we find one leak, we keep on. A next leak can hide past the first.
What Tools Does Your Technician Use?
| Tool | What it finds | Time it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Sound gear | Water flow under the slab | 20–40 mins |
| Heat camera | Warm or cool floor zones | 15–30 mins |
| Gas test | Small leaks the rest miss | 20–40 mins |
| Damp meters | How far water went | 10–20 mins |
| Meter check | Proof a leak lives | 10–15 mins |
We do not use each tool each time. Your tech picks the right mix for your home.
See our service standards for how we keep visits true.
What Happens During the Options Review?
After the hunt, we sit with you. We say what we found in plain words. Where the leak is. How bad it is. What caused it. Then we lay out your fix picks.
Each pick has a set price. Common picks: spot fix, reroute, tunnel, epoxy line, full repipe. National estimates as of 2026: spot fix $1,500–$4,500, reroute $3,500–$7,000, tunnel $3,500–$8,000, epoxy line $3,000–$6,000, full repipe $4,500–$15,000. Your price is exact, not a range.
No push. Ask us lots. Take your time. Work starts when you say yes.
Must I pick a fix while you are here? No. Take our price sheet home. Think it through. The visit is its own job. You owe just the visit price if you wait.
What comes next? Read What Happens After Your Visit?. Or go back to our homepage.
FAQs
Will you break my floor on this visit?
No. The hunt is all no-break. If a fix needs slab cuts later, we spell it out. You say yes to the price first.
How close is your mark?
We mark the leak within about 1 to 3 feet. That keeps the fix zone small.
May I watch while you work?
Yes. Watch and ask. Your tech will say what each tool does as we go.
What if you find no leak?
Then we say so straight. We share what the tests showed. We tell you what to watch. You pay just the visit price.
Do you clean up when done?
Yes. We leave your home as we found it. The hunt makes no mess. We still tidy our zones.
How do I pay for the visit?
We lock the price with you first. We settle up at the end of the visit.
Book now — call Nova Slab Leak Detection at (833) 542-3027. Open 24/7.