Every detection visit includes the full diagnostic workup, a marked leak point, and a written summary of what we found. Repair is quoted separately so you can decide how to proceed. Here's what's covered.
We shut every fixture and valve, then monitor the pressure testing gauge and water meter to confirm whether the leak is on the supply side, drainage side, or irrigation loop. This 15-minute step prevents us from chasing the wrong pipe.
We walk the buried line with an acoustic listening disc and a FLIR thermal imaging infrared camera, marking anomalies every 3 feet. A moisture meter and soil probe confirm the wet zone. This is the core of the detection service.
We paint the confirmed leak location within 12 to 18 inches and show you the mark before any excavation. You see exactly where we'll open the ground or slab, and why.
You get a one-page summary with the leak location, pipe material, probable cause, and recommended repair. It's useful for insurance claims, HOA records, and future plumbing work on the property.
Once we've located the leak, we quote the repair before we leave. The quote covers access, pipe material, fittings, and restoration. If you approve, we schedule the repair, often for the same day.
When we do the repair, we hydrostatic-test the line at 80 PSI for 30 minutes before backfilling. You get a pass/fail result and a 2-year workmanship warranty on the repair.
Underground Leak Detection in santa ana is the process of finding water or gas escaping from buried pipes without excavating the whole yard. We pressurize the line, then walk it with an acoustic listening disc and an ultrasonic leak detector to hear the hiss. A thermal imaging infrared camera confirms the wet zone. Once we mark the spot, we open a small access hole, repair the pipe, and hydrostatic-test it before backfill.
Santa Ana homes sit on a mix of older copper pipe and newer PEX tubing, and both fail differently. Copper corrodes from the inside out and pinholes at 40 to 60 PSI; PEX fittings can weep at the crimp ring. Add Orange County's clay-heavy soil, which shifts with every wet winter, and buried lines take a beating. If your yard is always wet Santa Ana CA, or your meter spins with every fixture off, that's your cue to call.
Five steps, one visit in most cases. Here's exactly what happens from the moment you call until the line is back in service.
Schedule
Call or book online — a real human picks up and confirms a 2-hour arrival window.
Diagnose
Licensed tech inspects on-site, then walks you through the cause and your options.
Fix
The job is completed to code and done right the first time — no shortcuts, no surprises.
Guarantee
Every job backed by a written workmanship warranty — and we stand behind it.
Acoustic listening disc
Picks up the frequency of pressurized water escaping a buried pipe. We walk the line in 3-foot increments and mark the loudest point.
FLIR thermal imaging infrared camera
Reads temperature differences caused by escaping water. Works through concrete, tile, and up to 3 feet of soil.
Ultrasonic leak detector
Catches high-frequency signals that acoustic gear misses, especially on plastic pipe and low-pressure irrigation lines.
Electronic leak detection wand
Confirms moisture presence in soil and behind walls. We use it alongside the soil probe to map how far water has traveled.
Pressure testing gauge and hydrostatic test kit
Isolates the leak to a specific line and verifies the repair at 80 PSI for 30 minutes before backfill.
Pipeline inspection camera and drain camera
Rules out sewer and drainage issues before we open a slab. Also used to inspect the inside of the pipe after repair.
Tracer gas detector
Confirms gas line leaks and hard-to-hear water leaks by introducing a safe tracer gas and reading its escape point.
Isolation and pressure testing
We shut every fixture and valve, then monitor the pressure gauge and water meter. If the meter moves, the leak is on the supply side. This method eliminates 80% of the guesswork before we bring out the acoustic gear.
Acoustic correlation
Two sensors placed on the pipe measure the time difference of the leak sound. The correlation math gives us a distance-to-leak reading accurate to within 12 inches on most metallic lines.
Thermal imaging survey
We scan the floor, slab, and yard with a FLIR camera and look for temperature anomalies. Wet soil and escaping water change the thermal signature, which shows up clearly on the screen.
Tracer gas testing
For gas lines and stubborn water leaks, we introduce a safe tracer gas into the isolated line and read its escape point with a detector. It's the most reliable method for lines under concrete or deep soil.
Hydrostatic testing after repair
Every repair we make gets pressure-tested at 80 PSI for 30 minutes. If it holds, we backfill. If it drops, we re-open and fix it before you see a bill.
01
What we do: We run the isolation test, confirm the meter is spinning, and scan the buried service line with acoustic and thermal gear. Most supply-side leaks are located in under 90 minutes.
→ You get a marked leak point and a repair quote the same day, and your next water bill drops back to normal.
02
What we do: We pressure-test the irrigation loop separately from the domestic line, then use an electronic leak detection wand and soil probe to find the break. If it's the main line, we trace it with a pipe and line locator.
→ The failed section gets repaired, the grade is restored, and your landscaping stops drowning.
03
What we do: We perform a full underground leak detection scan on the supply, drainage, and irrigation lines, plus a hydrostatic test on the repaired section. You get a written report on the current condition.
→ You know exactly what you're buying, and you have documentation for your lender and insurance.
04
What we do: We isolate the pool plumbing from the domestic system, pressure-test the pool loop, and locate the break with acoustic gear. We repair the failed section without draining the pool.
→ The pool holds water again, the deck dries out, and you avoid a full pool re-plumb.
05
What we do: We shut the meter, run a tracer gas detector along the buried line, and coordinate with the utility before any repair. Safety protocol comes first, then we locate and quote the fix.
→ The leak is isolated, the utility is satisfied, and the line is repaired to code with a pressure test on record.
Santa Ana sits on a mix of post-war tract homes, 1920s bungalows, and newer infill construction, which means we see every pipe material and every failure mode. The older neighborhoods like French Park and Wilshire Square still have original copper service lines that pinhole from the inside. Newer builds in Sandpointe and Cornerstone Village use PEX and CPVC, where the failure is usually a fitting or a crimp ring. Orange County's clay soil expands and contracts with the wet and dry seasons, and that movement stresses buried lines year after year. Our current season is fall, so we're heading into the Santa Ana winds and the first rain, which is when soil shifts and old leaks surface. If you've been putting off that wet spot, now is the time. We handle City of Santa Ana building permits when the repair touches the main, and we follow California Plumbing Code and Orange County Water District regulations on every job. Whether you need buried pipe leak detection Santa Ana or a full repair, we keep the excavation small and the documentation clean.
Floral Park
Historic homes with original copper service lines and mature root systems. We use acoustic correlation to avoid trenching the landscaping.
South Coast Metro
Commercial and mixed-use properties with larger meters and longer service lines. We schedule after-hours detection to avoid business disruption.
Washington Square
1920s bungalows on raised foundations. Slab and crawlspace leaks are common, and thermal imaging works well here.
Sandpointe
Newer PEX and CPVC systems. Failures tend to be at fittings and manifolds rather than mid-pipe, so we pressure-test zones individually.
Artesia Pilar
Larger lots with extensive irrigation. We isolate the sprinkler loop from the domestic line before scanning to avoid false positives.
Clay-heavy soil that shifts with wet and dry seasons
Movement stresses buried copper and PVC, causing pinholes and joint failures. We factor soil type into where we expect the leak to be.
Older homes with original copper service lines
Copper corrodes from the inside out. We see pinholes at 40 to 60 PSI, often in the yard rather than under the slab.
Fall Santa Ana winds and first rain
Soil moisture changes rapidly, which can open a leak that was marginal all summer. We see a spike in calls from October through December.
High water table in low-lying areas
A leak can stay hidden longer because the soil is already wet. We rely more on pressure testing and tracer gas in those zones.
Most underground leaks announce themselves through the water bill, a wet spot, or a spinning meter. Here are the four we see most often in santa ana, and how we handle each one.
Problem
A buried pinhole leak can waste 10,000 gallons a month and cost you $200 to $400 per billing cycle. Left alone, it undermines soil and can shift a foundation.
Our Fix
We isolate the system, confirm the meter is spinning with all fixtures off, then use acoustic and thermal tools to trace the loss to the buried line. Most leaks are marked and repaired within a single visit.
Problem
Constant moisture kills landscaping, attracts pests, and signals a failing irrigation or service line. It can also saturate the soil under your foundation.
Our Fix
We separate the irrigation loop from the domestic line with a pressure test, then locate the break with an electronic leak detection wand and soil probe. We repair the failed section and restore the grade.
Problem
A slab leak under the foundation warps flooring, cracks tile, and grows mold within weeks. The longer it runs, the more expensive the repair becomes.
Our Fix
Thermal imaging and acoustic correlation pinpoint the leak under the slab. We open a small access point, repair the pipe, and pressure-test it. Most slab repairs are completed in one day.
Problem
That's a supply-side leak, and it's costing you money every hour. It can also drop your water pressure and introduce contaminants if the line loses pressure.
Our Fix
We verify the meter test, then trace the main and service lines with a pipe and line locator. Once we mark the break, we repair it with code-approved fittings and hydrostatic-test the line before backfill.
A hidden leak can waste 2,000 to 10,000 gallons a month and undermine a foundation before you see a drop indoors. Here's what you get when we handle it.
No guesswork, no random digging
We mark the leak within 12 to 18 inches before any shovel hits dirt. That means one small access hole instead of a trench across your lawn. Most residential jobs in santa ana are located and repaired in a single visit, and you keep your landscaping intact.
Lower water bills fast
A pinhole leak in a copper service line can push a Santa Ana household from 6 units to 20 units a month. Once we isolate and repair the line, usage drops back to normal on the next cycle. We show you the before-and-after meter reading so you can verify it yourself.
Protects your foundation
Water migrating under a slab causes foundation cracks, hot spots on the floor, and mold growth within weeks. Underground leak locating near Santa Ana catches the problem while it's still a pipe issue, not a structural one. That's the difference between a $600 repair and a $15,000 foundation job.
Licensed, insured, code-correct
We hold a California C-36 Plumbing Contractor License and pull City of Santa Ana building permits when the scope requires one. Every repair meets California Plumbing Code and Uniform Plumbing Code standards, and we use IAPMO-certified fittings. You get a written warranty on the repair, not just a handshake.
Google ★★★★★4.9
Found a slab leak under our bathroom in about an hour. They marked the spot, showed us the thermal image, and repaired the copper line the same day. The flooring damage was one tile, not the whole room. Fair price and clean work.
Yelp ★★★★★4.8
Our water bill was triple normal and we had no idea why. Planet Plumbing isolated the system, found the leak in the front yard, and fixed it before the weekend. They credited the detection fee toward the repair, which I appreciated.
BBB ★★★★★4.9
Called at 10 p.m. with water pooling near the meter. They had a tech out within two hours, shut off the main, and came back first thing to repair the line. No emergency markup, no runaround. Highly recommend for underground leaks.
Google ★★★★★5.0
We manage several rental properties in Santa Ana and use Planet Plumbing for all our leak detection. They're consistent, they document everything, and they don't recommend excavation unless it's necessary. That saves us thousands every year.
Our technicians train on RIDGID locators, Sewerin acoustic gear, and Gutermann correlation equipment, and we recertify on ASSE standards every cycle. We've worked the older galvanized and copper systems in French Park and the newer Uponor and Viega PEX installs in Sandpointe. That range matters: a leak in 1950s copper sounds different than a weeping SharkBite fitting, and the repair method changes with it. We carry a California C-36 Plumbing Contractor License, OSHA safety compliance training, and backflow tester certification for the jobs that touch the main. Every tech on the truck can read a pressure gauge, run a thermal scan, and explain what they found in plain English.
Real answers to the questions we hear most often from local homeowners and property managers.
Our general leak detection service covers indoor fixtures, walls, and ceilings. When the source turns out to be below grade, we transition straight into Underground Leak Detection in santa ana with the same truck and the same technician.
View Leak DetectionWater leak detection focuses on supply and drain lines inside the structure. If the meter test points outside the footprint, we move to buried pipe leak detection Santa Ana and trace the line through the yard to the break.
View Water Leak DetectionSlab leaks sit under the foundation and often start as an underground line failure. We use thermal imaging and acoustic correlation to tell the difference, then repair the pipe with minimal concrete removal.
View Slab Leak DetectionPool plumbing runs underground and loses water the same way a service line does. We pressure-test the pool loop separately from the domestic lines so you're not paying to chase the wrong pipe.
View Pool Leak DetectionSewer leaks show up as soggy spots and odor, not high water bills. We run a drain camera and pipe and line locator to map the run, then pinpoint root intrusion or a cracked joint before excavation.
View Sewer Line Leak DetectionBuried gas lines require a tracer gas detector and a different safety protocol. We isolate the meter, scan the run, and coordinate with the utility before any repair work begins.
View Gas Leak DetectionCall us at 714-844-9877 or email info@planetplumbing.com. We answer the phone 24/7 for emergencies and schedule same-day appointments for most leak detection calls in Santa Ana. Our office is at 1234 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA 92703. We look forward to helping you.
Phone
7148449877Address
1240 S Wright St, Santa Ana, CA 92705
Hours
Mon–Fri: 7AM – 7PM
Sat: 8AM – 4PM
Sun: Emergency Only
24/7 Emergency Available
