Leak Detection & Repair in Winston-Salem, NC

A water bill that jumped, a stain spreading across the ceiling, a damp crawlspace or the sound of water when nothing is running. Leaks rarely fix themselves. Request a free quote and we'll call you back.

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Supply line and drain leaks
Crawlspace, wall and ceiling leaks
Pinhole leaks in older copper

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Is it a leak? Three quick checks

Read the meter. Turn off every faucet and water-using appliance, note the reading on your water meter and check it again in an hour or two without using any water. If it moved, water is going somewhere.
Test the toilets. Put a few drops of food coloring in each toilet tank and wait 10 minutes without flushing. Color in the bowl means the flapper is leaking. The EPA calls a worn flapper one of the most common silent leaks in a home (EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week).
Compare winter bills. The EPA notes that a family of four using more than 12,000 gallons a month in winter probably has a serious leak (EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week).

The EPA estimates the average household's leaks waste more than 9,300 gallons a year, and that a faucet dripping once a second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year. Fixing easily corrected leaks can save about 10 percent on a water bill (EPA WaterSense, Fix a Leak Week).

Where leaks hide in Winston-Salem homes

Crawlspaces

Most of the city's older houses, and plenty of newer ones, sit on crawlspaces. A slow drip under a bathroom can go unnoticed for months, soaking the vapor barrier and the subfloor and raising humidity under the house. Musty smells, soft spots in the floor near a toilet or tub, and condensation on ductwork are all reasons to look underneath.

Pinhole leaks in copper

Copper supply lines were standard from the 1950s on. Winston-Salem's water is very soft (about 17.5 ppm hardness in the utility's 2025 report), and the utility adds orthophosphate to control corrosion (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities, 2025 Water Quality Report). Even so, decades-old copper can develop pinholes, often near fittings, bends or where pipe rests against metal. One pinhole can be repaired; a house that keeps getting them may be ready for repiping.

Polybutylene and early plastic lines

Homes built or replumbed from roughly the late 1970s through the mid-1990s may have gray polybutylene pipe, which is prone to failure at its fittings and as the plastic ages. If you see gray flexible pipe stamped "PB," it is worth planning a replacement before it fails.

Supply lines and shut-off valves

Braided and plastic supply lines to toilets, faucets, ice makers and washing machines wear out, and old multi-turn shut-off valves seize or drip at the stem. Washing machine hoses are a classic cause of sudden flooding; replacing rubber hoses with braided ones every several years is cheap insurance.

Drain leaks

Not every leak is pressurized. Loose slip joints under sinks, failed tub and shower drain gaskets, cracked cast-iron drain pipes and wax rings under toilets leak only when fixtures are used, so the stain grows in steps.

The line from the meter

The service line from the meter to the house is the owner's responsibility. A wet spot in the yard that never dries, or a meter that spins with everything off and no sign of water inside, points to that line.

How leaks are found

Finding a hidden leak is a process of elimination: isolating fixtures and sections with valves, pressure-testing lines, using moisture meters and thermal imaging to trace water inside walls and ceilings, and listening with acoustic equipment for leaks under slabs or in the yard. The goal is to open as little drywall or floor as possible, in the right spot the first time.

Repairing the leak

Spot repairs replace the failed section or fitting with copper, PEX or CPVC, depending on what is there and what code allows.
Rerouting abandons a section that is hard to reach, such as a line under a slab, and runs new pipe through walls or the attic.
Replacement of the whole system makes sense when leaks keep happening in old pipe. See repiping.

After a leak, dry the area quickly. Wet drywall, insulation and crawlspace barriers can grow mold within a couple of days. If your homeowners insurance may cover the water damage, take photos before cleanup and call your insurer. Policies usually treat sudden leaks and long-term seepage very differently.

Frequently asked questions

How can I tell if I have a hidden water leak?

Turn off all water use and watch your meter for an hour or two. If it moves, there is a leak somewhere. A food-coloring test in each toilet tank checks for flapper leaks.

Why do I keep getting pinhole leaks in my copper pipes?

Older copper can corrode from the inside over decades, especially near fittings and bends. One pinhole can be repaired, but repeated pinholes in different places often mean the piping is near the end of its life.

Is the pipe from the meter to my house my responsibility?

Yes. On Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Utilities water, the private service line from the meter to the house belongs to the property owner.

What is polybutylene pipe and should I replace it?

Polybutylene is a gray plastic supply pipe used in many homes from the late 1970s to the mid-1990s. It is prone to failure, so replacing it before it leaks is generally recommended.

How much water does a small leak waste?

The EPA says a faucet dripping once per second wastes more than 3,000 gallons a year, and the average household's leaks waste more than 9,300 gallons a year.

Leak repair by area

Local notes on homes, water and sewer service in each community.

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