Inside walls and ceilings
A supply or drain pipe may be leaking behind the surface when a bathroom ceiling is stained, or when paint bubbles or drywall softens along a wall.
Leak Detection and Slab Leak Repair in Tampa
Hidden leaks give themselves away indirectly, with a bill that creeps up, a patch of paint that bubbles, a musty closet or a floor that feels warm underfoot. The plumber you hire finds the escaping water and repairs the pipe.
Read on for where hidden leaks turn up, the permit rule for a simple leak repair, and the backflow test letters the Tampa Water Department sends to some homes.
Where hidden leaks turn up
Under a concrete slab
On a slab foundation the supply lines run through or under the concrete, so a leak there may show as a warm tile, a damp carpet edge or water you can hear with every fixture shut. The plumber you hire can repair the line.
In the yard
Grass that stays green and spongy in one strip, or ground that is wet along the path the water line takes, may mean the pipe from the meter to the house is leaking.
At fixtures and valves
Water slips away unnoticed through a toilet that runs by itself, a shutoff that drips or a slow leak under a sink.
Permits for a leak repair
Tampa’s code lets a leak in a pipe, valve or fixture be repaired without a permit as long as no fixture has to be replaced, and the drain cleaning page has the rest of that rule.
Backflow test letters for irrigation and reclaimed water
The Tampa Water Department requires an approved backflow prevention device on connections it identifies as a backflow risk, including properties with in-ground irrigation or underground sprinklers, properties on both potable and reclaimed water, and properties with a well or pond.
If a Notice to Test Backflow Prevention Device letter arrives, a certified backflow technician has to test the device within 30 days, and the results go into SwiftComply within seven calendar days. A device found defective must be serviced or replaced within 15 days and tested again.
If a leak turns out to be one of several in old supply pipe, the repiping page covers replacing it, and a burst pipe is on the emergency call page. Everything else starts from the home page.
Call for a free plumbing estimate
Call us to discuss your current issue and how we can assist you. The call is free and you get a free, personalized estimate with no obligation. We're here to help.
Call (855) 321-3426