Not sure what's wrong in your Citrus Heights home? This guide walks through the leak problems we see most: slab leaks, underground line leaks, hidden wall leaks, water heater leaks, ceiling stains, and running toilets. Each page below names the signs, shows the test we run first, and tells you when to call a professional.
Start with what you're seeing
Most leak calls start the same way: something looks off, but nobody can say where the water is coming from. Match what you're seeing to the problem below, then open that page. Every page names the signs in plain language, shows the first test we run, and tells you honestly when it's a job for a professional.
- Warm spot on the floor, or a bill that climbs for no reason: slab leak signs and repair options
- Soggy yard, greener patches of grass, or a sinking spot in the soil: underground water leak detection
- Stains, bubbling paint, musty smell, but no visible drip: hidden water leak detection
- Water pooling around the water heater: water heater leaking
- Brown stain or dripping on a ceiling or wall: ceiling and wall leaks
- Toilet runs, hisses, or the bill jumped and the toilet is suspect: toilet leak detection
The six leak problems we diagnose most
In Citrus Heights we work mostly in homes built around 1977, and about four in ten were built in the 1970s on slab-on-grade foundations with copper lines running underneath. That combination decides which problems show up most:
- Slab leaks. A broken line under the concrete. Hot spots, high bills, the sound of running water with everything off.
- Underground line leaks. Breaks between the meter and the house, or in yard lines. The yard tells on them first.
- Hidden indoor leaks. Inside walls, under floors, above ceilings. The meter test catches these in two minutes.
- Water heater leaks. Hard water at roughly 11 grains per gallon eats tanks from the inside. Bottom leaks mean replacement.
- Ceiling and wall leaks. Usually a bathroom or pipe run directly above the stain.
- Toilet leaks. A worn flapper is the single biggest silent water waster in a house.
How a diagnosis visit works
When you call (123) 456-7890, we start with what you're seeing. The stain, the sound, the bill. Then we pick the right test instead of guessing:
- Meter test first. Everything off, watch the meter. Moving dial means water is leaving the system somewhere.
- Isolate the zones. House valve, irrigation valve, water heater valve. Each one we close tells us which section the leak is in.
- Pinpoint with instruments. Acoustic listening hears the leak's exact frequency. Thermal imaging sees hot spots through the slab. Moisture meters map how far water traveled inside a wall.
- Show you the finding. You see the reading, hear the sound, or see the thermal image before we talk about repair.
No concrete gets broken to find a leak. Breaking things is for repair, and only exactly where the instruments point.
When it's an emergency
Call right away if you have active flooding you can't stop, a ceiling that is bulging or sagging with water weight, sewage coming up anywhere, or a burst line with the shutoff valve stuck. For everything else. A stain, a sound, a climbing bill. A scheduled diagnosis visit is the right move, and the sooner the better. Water doesn't fix itself.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I have a water leak at all?
Run the meter test: turn off every faucet, appliance, and your irrigation, then look at the water meter box at the curb. If the small dial or digital readout is still moving, water is leaving your system somewhere and you have a leak.
What is the most common leak problem in Citrus Heights homes?
Slab leaks. Most Citrus Heights homes were built in the 1970s on slab-on-grade foundations with copper water lines running underneath the concrete. Decades of soil movement and hard water wear those lines out, and the first signs are usually a hot spot on the floor or a climbing water bill.
Will finding the leak damage my house?
No. Diagnosis is non-invasive: meter tests, acoustic listening, thermal imaging, and moisture meters. We pinpoint the leak's location before anyone opens a wall or a section of slab, so repair means one small opening instead of exploratory demolition.
Which areas do you serve?
We're based in Citrus Heights and serve Citrus Heights and nearby Sacramento County communities, including Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Antelope, Carmichael, Folsom, Rancho Cordova, North Highlands, and Sacramento.
My water bill doubled but I see nothing wet. Where do I start?
Start with the meter test above, then check the two biggest silent wasters: toilets (a worn flapper can run water 24 hours a day) and the water heater. If the meter moves with everything off, open our hidden leak page and work through the isolation steps, or call us and we'll run them for you.
Related
- Slab leak signs and repair options
- Underground water leak detection
- Hidden water leak detection
- Water heater leaking
- Ceiling and wall leaks
- Toilet leak detection
- High water bill leak investigation
- How leak detection works
Think you have a leak?
Call AquaTrace Leak Detection to describe what you are seeing in Citrus Heights and get a plan to find it.
Call (123) 456-7890Last updated: October 25, 2026.