How to Find a Water Leak in Your Arlington House: 7 Simple Checks

Start at the water meter. Turn off every tap and water-using appliance, then watch the meter's leak indicator for 15 minutes. If it moves, you have a leak. Next, check toilets with food dye, look under sinks and behind appliances, feel floors for warm or damp spots, and listen for running water at night. If you still cannot find it, call (817) 285-5426 for leak detection.

Basic leak detection in Arlington costs about $150 to $400. Our leak detection Arlington TX team finds hidden leaks without tearing up walls.

What are the 7 checks?

1. Meter test. With all water off, the small triangle or dial on the meter should not move. The City of Arlington meter is usually in a box near the street.
2. Toilets. Put a few drops of food dye in each tank. If color shows in the bowl within 15 minutes, the flapper leaks. See our toilet leak test guide.
3. Faucets and showers. Look for drips at spouts and showerheads, and water at the base of the faucet.
4. Under sinks. Feel the supply lines, shut-off valves and the trap. Look for warped cabinet floors.
5. Appliances. Check the water heater, washer hoses, dishwasher and fridge ice maker line.
6. Floors and walls. Feel for warm spots on the floor, and look for stains, bubbling paint or swollen baseboards.
7. Outside. Walk the yard for soggy spots, look at hose bibs and check the sprinkler system.

How do you tell if the leak is inside or outside?

Close the main shut-off valve at the house, then watch the meter again. If the meter still moves, the leak is between the meter and the house, on the buried service line. If it stops, the leak is inside the home. This simple test tells you where to look next.

A leak on the buried line needs special tools. Our waterline leak detection arlington guide explains how we find it.

What are signs of a hidden leak?

• A water bill that keeps rising with no change in use. See high water bill.
• The sound of running water when everything is off.
• Warm spots on tile or concrete floors, a common slab leak sign in Arlington.
• A musty smell or mold in a closet or behind a cabinet.
• Cracks in walls or floors that grow, from soil washing out under the slab.

When should you call a pro?

Call if the meter shows a leak and you cannot find it in 30 minutes, if you notice a warm floor, or if water stains keep growing. Pros use acoustic listening, thermal cameras and pressure tests to find the exact spot. Basic detection runs about $150 to $400, and slab leak detection about $250 to $600.

General estimates for Arlington, TX in 2026. Your exact price is confirmed before any work begins.

If the clues point under the floor, book the slab leak detection service in Arlington homeowners use to avoid opening the wrong spot. Want to know what to look for in a leak detection company? Ask about the tools they use and whether the price is set before the visit.