Silco PlumbingHow to Spot a Hidden Plumbing Leak
If your water bill went up, the wall looks stained, or you hear water when nothing is on, one of your first questions is probably: “Is there a leak I cannot see?”
There isn’t one sign that proves it. In Kalispell and throughout the Flathead Valley, older pipes and hard winters make a hidden leak easier to miss and more expensive if it sits.
That’s because water can travel before it shows.
Here are the signs we want you to tell us about:
1. The Water Bill Changed and Your Habits Didn’t
If usage in the house has not changed and the bill has, a hidden leak is one of the first things to consider. Even a small drip behind a wall can run for weeks.
2. A Musty Smell That Will Not Leave
Persistent damp or musty odors often mean water is collecting where it should not be — under a floor, behind drywall, or in a crawl space.
3. Stains on Walls or Ceilings
Brown or yellow discoloration is often water that has already been there a while. The leak may be above the stain, or it may have traveled.
4. Peeling Paint or Bubbling Drywall
Moisture trapped behind paint or drywall will bubble, crack, or warp. That is the wall telling you something is wet behind it.
5. Low Water Pressure
If pressure drops at one fixture, it may be that fixture. If it drops in more than one place, the leak may be on a shared line.
6. The Sound of Water When Nothing Is On
Hear water running when every tap is off? Tell us that. It is one of the most useful things you can say on the phone.
7. Wet Ground or Cracks Near the Foundation
A leak on an underground line can saturate the soil around the house. You may see pooling, or a crack you have not seen before.
Same stain. Different house. Different job. One homeowner may have a supply line under a sink. Another may have water in a ceiling from a line you cannot see without peeling away drywall. It is normal for those two calls to be different jobs.
What should you have ready when you call? You don’t need to find the leak. Just tell us the following information:
- What you noticed first: bill, smell, stain, sound, or wet ground
- Which rooms are involved
- Whether the problem showed up after a freeze or a thaw
- Photos of the stain, the wet spot, or the meter if you have them
Hidden Leaks in Kalispell & the Flathead Valley. Silco Plumbing helps homeowners find and repair hidden leaks in Kalispell, Columbia Falls, Whitefish and surrounding areas—from a stain on the ceiling to water you can hear and cannot see. Have questions? Ask us. You don’t have to find the leak before you call, and you can send a message instead of calling.
406-471-1851 | silcoplumbingmt.com
