Plumbing · South Shore, Massachusetts
Leak Detection & Pipe Repair
Water where it should not be is the call we get more than any other. Whether it is a stain spreading across a ceiling, a meter that keeps spinning, or a pipe that let go at two in the morning, we find it and fix it.
Active leak right now? Shut the water off at the main valve—usually where the service line enters the basement, near the meter—then call us at (781) 974-5239. If you cannot find or turn the main, call anyway and we will talk you through it.
Signs You Have a Leak
Most leaks announce themselves long before they flood anything. The trouble is that the symptoms are easy to explain away.
A water bill that jumped
Nothing changed in the household, but usage climbed. A running toilet or an underground service line leak will do this quietly for months.
Ceiling or wall staining
A brown ring that grows, bubbling paint, or a soft spot in drywall. Water travels, so the stain is often not directly under the source.
Musty smell or mold
A persistent damp odor in a basement, closet, or crawlspace usually means moisture is feeding something you cannot see.
The meter moves with everything off
Shut every fixture and watch the meter dial. Movement means water is going somewhere. This is the fastest confirmation there is.
Green or white crust on copper
Corrosion deposits at a joint or valve mean it has been weeping. These fail suddenly once they start.
Dropping water pressure
A gradual loss of pressure throughout the house can point to a leak in the supply line before it ever surfaces.
What We Repair
Burst and frozen pipes. Every winter we cut open walls in Marshfield, Scituate, and Hull where an uninsulated line ran through an exterior wall or an unheated crawlspace. We repair the break and then address why it froze, because it will freeze again otherwise.
Pinhole leaks in copper. Common in homes built in the 1960s through 1980s, and especially where water chemistry is aggressive. One pinhole usually means more are coming, so we will tell you honestly if you are better served by repiping a section than chasing individual holes.
Failed joints, valves, and shut-offs. Old compression stops under sinks and toilets are a frequent culprit. We replace them with quarter-turn valves so the next repair does not require shutting down the whole house.
Slab and underground leaks. Harder to locate and more disruptive to reach. We confirm the leak before opening anything, then discuss whether repair or rerouting the line makes more sense for your situation.
Split sillcocks and hose bibs. The classic spring surprise—you turn on the outside hose for the first time and water pours into the basement instead. We replace with frost-proof units set at the correct pitch.
How We Find It
We do not start by cutting holes. We isolate zones of the system, watch the meter, and use moisture readings and thermal imaging to narrow the location before anything gets opened. When we do have to open a wall or ceiling, it is because we already know what is behind it.
You will get a clear explanation of what we found, what it will take to fix, and what it costs—before we start the repair.
Common Questions
Will my homeowners insurance cover this?
Most policies cover sudden water damage from a burst pipe but not the plumbing repair itself, and not damage from a leak that developed slowly over time. Document everything with photos before repairs begin. We can provide a written description of the failure for your claim.
How fast can you get here?
Active leaks are dispatched as emergencies. Our office is staffed around the clock, so you reach a person rather than a machine.
Should I repipe instead of repairing?
If you have had multiple pinhole leaks in the same run, or your home still has galvanized supply piping, repiping that section usually costs less over five years than repeated service calls. We will lay out both options with pricing and let you decide.
Found water where it should not be?
Call now—the sooner we look, the smaller the repair.