Leaks, pipes & freezing · Aurora
Leak detection in Aurora, CO
Turn off every fixture and watch the water meter's leak indicator. If it moves, water is leaking somewhere. A plumber uses pressure tests, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to find the leak so only a small section of wall or floor has to be opened.
- Licensed local plumbers
- The problem explained before work starts
- Price agreed before the job begins
Leak detection for Aurora homes
Hidden leaks waste water and rot framing before anyone sees them. In dry climates a slow leak can evaporate as fast as it drips, so a stain may never appear. The first sign is often a water bill that jumps between seasons that should match.
For the full guide, including what you can safely do before a plumber arrives, see leak detection explained.
Leak detection in Aurora at a glance
- Urgency
- Usually plannable
- Area
- Aurora, CO
- Who does the work
- An independent, licensed local plumber
- Permit
- Plumbing permits and inspections are handled by the City of Aurora Building Division.
- Typical steps
- Meter and isolation test → Pinpoint → Open and repair → Document
- Availability
- Call now to check plumber availability
Signs you need leak detection in Aurora
- A water bill higher than the same month last year
- The meter's small triangle or dial turning with everything off
- Warm spots on a floor (a hot water line leaking under a slab)
- Musty smells, bubbling paint or warped baseboards
- Constant sound of running water
Local conditions
Leak detection in Aurora: what's different
Parts of southeast Aurora sit on expansive clay that swells and shrinks with moisture, which stresses supply lines under slab floors and where pipes pass through foundations. Hidden leaks there often show up first as a damp spot or a higher bill.
Aurora Water's seasonal watering rules and conservation programs make leaks expensive to ignore. A plumber confirms the leak at the meter, then uses pressure testing, acoustic listening and thermal imaging to locate it before opening any wall or floor.
- Water and sewer in Aurora
- Aurora Water provides water, sewer and storm water service across most of the city.
- Permits in Aurora
- Plumbing permits and inspections are handled by the City of Aurora Building Division.
Aurora housing and plumbing
Hoffman Heights and Original Aurora are mostly 1950s ranches with basements, cast-iron drains and sewer laterals that are 70 years old. Neighborhoods built in the 1970s–90s have copper supply and first- or second-generation water heaters. New construction in the southeast uses PEX and often tankless heaters.
Neighborhoods and ZIP codes
Plumbers on Thawline cover Aurora and Arapahoe, Adams and Douglas counties, including Original Aurora, Hoffman Heights, Saddle Rock, Tallyn's Reach, Southlands, Murphy Creek, Green Valley. ZIP codes: 80010 · 80011 · 80012 · 80013 · 80014 · 80015 · 80016 · 80017 · 80018 · 80019 · 80045.
Other Aurora conditions that affect plumbing
- Aging laterals in northwest Aurora: Sewer laterals in Original Aurora and Hoffman Heights are often clay or early cast iron, with root intrusion and offset joints from decades of soil movement.
- Expansive soils in newer areas: Parts of southeast Aurora sit on expansive clay. Soil movement can stress plumbing under slab floors and where pipes pass through foundations.
- Water conservation rules: Aurora Water has seasonal watering rules and conservation programs; checking for silent toilet and irrigation leaks helps keep summer bills in line.
How leak detection works in Aurora
- 1
Meter and isolation test
Fixtures are shut off one branch at a time to see which part of the system is losing water.
- 2
Pinpoint
Acoustic listening, thermal imaging and moisture meters narrow the leak to a small area.
- 3
Open and repair
Only the area over the leak is opened. Repairs are made and pressure tested.
- 4
Document
You get a written description of the cause for insurance or a future buyer.
What affects leak detection cost in Aurora
Every job is priced by the plumber after they see it. These are the things that move the price most. Ask for the price before work starts.
- Supply leak versus drain leak
- Leak location: wall, ceiling, under a slab or in the yard
- Equipment needed to pinpoint it
- Access and patching (drywall repair is often a separate trade)
Leak detection questions in Aurora
Does Aurora Water help find leaks?
How do I check my meter for a leak?
Is the leak my responsibility or the water utility's?
Which homes get slab leaks?
Also in Aurora
Related
Related plumbing services
Burst pipe repair
Turn off the main water shutoff first, then open a faucet on the lowest floor to drain the lines.
Learn more
Water line repair
The water service line runs from the curb stop near the street to your house, buried below the frost line.
Learn more
Repiping
Repiping replaces a home's water supply lines, usually because old galvanized steel has corroded or polybutylene is at risk of failing.
Learn more
Toilet repair
A toilet that runs needs a new flapper or fill valve.
Learn moreGuides
Read before you call
Emergencies
What to do when a pipe bursts
Shut off the main water valve, open the lowest faucet in the house to drain the lines, turn off the water heater, and cut power to any room where water is reaching outlets. Then call a plumber, photograph the damage, and call your insurer.
Emergencies
How to find and test your main water shutoff
Look where the water line enters the house, usually through the basement or crawl space wall facing the street, next to the water meter. Test it once a year by closing it and confirming water stops at a faucet, so you know it works before a pipe bursts.
Costs & planning
High water bill? How to find a hidden leak
Turn off every fixture and watch the meter's leak indicator for 15 minutes. If it moves, put dye in each toilet tank, check the water heater and irrigation, then call for leak detection if you still can't find it.
Need leak detection in Aurora?
Tell us what's going on and your ZIP code. You'll be connected with a licensed plumber who serves your area.
Call now to check plumber availability