San Francisco County · Detection
Non-invasive detection for hidden leaks inside walls, ceilings, and under floors.
Emil D., who lives in Bayview, San Francisco, reached out after noticing a musty odor in a room with no obvious source. San Francisco's Victorian and Edwardian homes in neighborhoods like Noe Valley and the Mission District frequently hide original plumbing behind lath-and-plaster walls rather than modern drywall, which changes both what a leak's early signs look like and how the interior gets accessed once a leak is confirmed. The diagnostic report was enough to move the insurance claim forward without further back-and-forth.
— Emil D., Bayview, San Francisco
San Francisco's Victorian and Edwardian homes in neighborhoods like Noe Valley and the Mission District frequently hide original plumbing behind lath-and-plaster walls rather than modern drywall, which changes both what a leak's early signs look like and how the interior gets accessed once a leak is confirmed.
Water service in San Francisco is provided by the SFPUC, and confirming whether an issue is on your private plumbing or the utility side of the meter is one of the first things we check.
Not every leak announces itself with a puddle. Many hidden water leaks develop slowly inside a wall cavity, under a cabinet, or above a ceiling, and are only noticed once staining, warped material, or a spike in the water bill shows up. Our general water leak detection service covers the full interior plumbing system: supply lines, fixture connections, water heaters, and any point where a line runs through a wall, floor, or ceiling.
We start with a whole-home pressure and usage check to confirm whether a leak exists, then use acoustic listening devices and moisture meters to trace it to a specific wall section, joist bay, or fixture, rather than opening multiple areas to search.
Discolored or bubbling paint on a wall or ceilingA musty odor in a room with no obvious sourceWarped baseboards, cabinets, or flooring near plumbing wallsLow water pressure at one or more fixturesA water bill that jumped without a clear explanationThe water meter's leak indicator dial moving with everything turned offFrom Sunset District, Richmond District, Noe Valley to Mission District, Pacific Heights, Bernal Heights, we handle water leak detection calls across San Francisco, matching the approach to each property's age, soil, and layout.
Call or request an appointment online. Same-day slots are available across California for active leaks.
A technician arrives with acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, and pressure or camera tools matched to your specific leak type.
The leak's exact location is marked and explained to you in plain terms, so nothing gets opened up on a guess.
You receive a written diagnostic report you can hand to your plumber, restoration team, or insurance company, with repair or fix options discussed on the spot.
“Old Victorian with plaster walls everywhere, so I was dreading this. They used thermal imaging and found the leak behind one wall panel instead of opening up the whole room. Saved us a big repair bill.”
“Ground near our garage had been soft for a while. Turned out to be the main line. They marked the exact dig spot and our plumber only had to open a two-foot section instead of the whole path.”
“The floor in our hallway had a warm spot for weeks. They found the slab leak in under an hour with the listening equipment and marked a tiny area instead of tearing up the whole hallway. Huge relief.”
“Our water bill jumped for two months straight and we couldn't find why. Turned out it was a slow leak behind the water heater. Professional, on time, and explained everything on the spot.”
“Salt air had corroded a fitting outside near the meter box. They traced it with the acoustic equipment without digging up my whole side yard first. Appreciated the straightforward report.”
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