Leak Detection in Markham

Signs you need leak detection

A bill rising while your routines stay the same is the most common clue. Other hints: a damp, stale odour inside a closet sharing a wall with a bathroom, paint that bubbles, baseboards that swell, a warm patch on a slab floor, or the faint sound of running water when each fixture is off. If your meter's low-flow indicator is turning while the house is quiet, water is going somewhere.

Our routine on the day

We begin with the simple checks, because the cheapest answer is often the right one. A running toilet flapper leaks more water than most people guess and is fast to rule in or out. From there we isolate sections of the system to narrow the search, then bring moisture meters and a thermal camera to check walls and ceilings without opening them. Where a slab or buried line is suspected, acoustic listening equipment helps pinpoint the spot.

When we have a location, we mark it, explain the evidence, and agree with you on the smallest opening needed to make the repair. The aim is one tidy access hole rather than a trail of exploratory cuts.

Markham houses and what shapes this job

Finished basements are the big variable. Many Markham families have turned the lower level into living space, which hides supply lines behind drywall and laminate. Condos and stacked townhouses near Downtown Markham bring another wrinkle, since a leak in your unit can show up in the one below, and the reverse is also true.

Homes with grey poly-b supply pipe, common in some 1980s and early 1990s construction, tend to leak at fittings. If we find that during a search we will mention it, and our poly-b note explains why it matters.

What you will receive

Once the leak is found, we describe its source, the likely duration and the extent of any wet material we could measure. That summary is useful for insurance, for a drywall contractor, or simply for your own records. If the leak turns out to be a fixture issue rather than a pipe, we fix it on the spot where possible.

Not every damp patch is plumbing, either. Condensation on cold-water lines in a humid basement, a blocked eavestrough or a window seal can all leave similar marks. Ruling those out is part of the search, and we will tell you if the answer lies with another trade.

Ring us without delay if

• Water is visibly dripping from a ceiling or light fixture.
• A bill jumps sharply, as covered in our water bill spike guide.
• You notice mould or a persistent damp smell.
• Flooring is lifting or soft underfoot.

A small leak found this week is a repair. The same leak found next season can be a renovation.

What we check before we pack up

1. Read static pressure at a hose bib
2. Pressure-test new pipe before closing walls

Markham note. Markham water service lines enter on the street-facing basement wall, and the main shut-off and meter usually sit right there. In older houses that valve is often a rusty multi-turn gate valve left untouched since the house was built.

Quick answers