Leak Detection in Brooklyn, NY
Water rarely shows up where it starts. It runs along a joist, follows a pipe, soaks into plaster, and appears as a stain a room away from the leak. Finding the true source first saves a lot of unnecessary demolition.
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Leaks we are called to find
Ceiling stains below a bathroom
Shower pans, tub drains, toilet seals and supply joints behind the wall are the usual suspects.
Damp at the base of a wall
Could be a supply line, a drain, a radiator, or water coming through the masonry. Each points a different way.
Leaks between apartments
In a stacked building the stain is in one unit and the leak is in the one above, sometimes two floors up.
A water bill that jumped
If the meter moves with every tap closed, water is escaping somewhere: a running toilet, or a leak you cannot see.
How we narrow it down
We start with the simplest test that rules things out. With every fixture off, we watch the meter. If it moves, there is a supply leak. Then we isolate sections with valves to work out which part of the house it is in.
For drain leaks, which only leak when water is running, we run fixtures one at a time and watch where moisture appears. A moisture meter maps how far the damp has spread in plaster and wood, and a thermal camera shows the cooler patch where water is evaporating. Elite Pipe Solutions uses those readings to choose the one spot worth opening rather than guessing at several.
When it is not plumbing
Brownstones and brick rowhouses take on water from outside as well: through a failed roof, a cracked parapet, gaps around windows, or brick that needs repointing. Leaks that only appear during or after rain are often one of these.
If the evidence points away from the pipes, we will tell you that rather than opening a wall to look for a plumbing leak that is not there, so you can call the right trade.
After the leak is found
Once the source is confirmed, the repair is quoted on its own. Often the access opening made to confirm the leak is the same one used to fix it, so nothing is opened twice.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you find a leak without opening the wall?
Usually we can find it, and often confirm it, before opening anything. Fixing it may still need a small opening once we know exactly where to make it.
The stain is in my apartment but the leak may be upstairs. What now?
Let your super or managing agent know, since access to the unit above will be needed. We can then trace and fix the source.
Why did my water bill suddenly go up?
A toilet that runs constantly is the most common cause. If every fixture is quiet and the meter still moves, there is a hidden supply leak.