Drain Leak Detection and Repair in Round Rock, TX
A drain leak is sneaky because it only leaks when water is moving. The pipe sits empty most of the day, so the stain on the ceiling below shows up after a shower or a sink full of dishes, not on the meter.
A leak that only shows in use
Supply lines hold pressure all day, so they leak constantly and move the meter. Drain lines are different. They carry water only when a fixture runs, so a cracked P-trap or a split branch line drips for a minute after you use the sink, then stops. The clue is timing. A ceiling ring under a bathroom that darkens after someone showers is a drain, not a supply pipe.
In Eagle Ridge homes from the 2000s, the branch drains are usually PVC, and a glued joint that was rushed at construction is a common slow weep.
Camera and dye on the drain
Because a drain only leaks in use, the pressurized-side tools do not help. We run water through the fixture and watch where it escapes, then put a camera down the line to see cracks, separated joints, and bellied sections directly. A dye test confirms a weep that is hard to see, and a moisture meter shows how far the water has tracked through a ceiling or wall.
If a stain only appears after you run a particular fixture, that is the tell. Call (512) 737-6168 and we can put eyes on the drain.
P-trap to branch-line repair
A leaking P-trap or a loose slip joint under a sink is a quick reseal or replacement. A cracked or separated branch line in a wall or ceiling gets cut out and replaced with properly joined pipe, cured before it carries water again. Where an old joint was the problem, we fix the joint right rather than gluing over a stressed connection that will weep again.
We open the smallest access the repair needs and locate precisely, so a ceiling leak does not become the whole ceiling.
Older drains in Round Rock homes
The age of the home shapes the drain. The 2000s and newer build-out runs on PVC, which fails at rushed solvent-weld joints more than along the pipe. Older homes near Old Town and the 1980s neighborhoods can still have cast iron branch drains that corrode from the inside and crack at the hubs. Both carry waste toward the Brushy Creek Regional system, and both leak quietly until the ceiling stains.
Material also decides the repair. A cracked PVC joint is cut out and rejoined cleanly, which holds for decades once it is done right. Corroded cast iron is a different conversation, because patching one rusted hub on a line that is failing throughout often just moves the next leak a few feet down. When we camera an old cast iron drain and see widespread corrosion, we say so, and we lay out replacing the run against patching it. You get the honest read, not the cheapest sticker that brings us back next year.
What to expect when we arrive
We have you run the fixture that triggers the stain so we can watch the leak happen, then camera the line to pin the spot. You hear what failed and the repair before anything opens. With your go-ahead we make the fix and run the drain again to confirm it stays dry.
We clean up and leave the access tidy. For a drain soaking a ceiling every time it is used, call (512) 737-6168 and we can get to it.
Not sure what you are dealing with? Talk it through.
📞 (512) 737-6168Frequently Asked Questions
How is a drain leak different from a supply leak?
A supply line holds pressure and leaks all day, moving the meter. A drain leaks only when water runs, so the stain appears after you use a fixture and the meter stays still.
Why can you not find my drain leak with the meter?
The meter only tracks pressurized water. A drain is empty between uses, so it never shows there. We run the fixture and camera the line instead.
Is a drain leak inside the wall hard to fix?
We locate it precisely first, so we open only the spot we need. The repair itself, cutting out and replacing the bad section or joint, is straightforward once it is found.
Related leak services
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