Slab leak response: what to know in Arizona
You may have found a leak by sound, by the meter or by water at the floor. Either way, the next steps are brief and do not need tools.
What you do not do matters as much as what you do.
Slab leak signs people notice
Calls are answered around the clock, and same-day visits are the aim.
Need a Leak Located? Call UsWhy Arizona homes get slab leaks
Arizona slabs are hard, and the water under them can run for some time before it surfaces. Any signs you see may be late ones.
Calling early limits the loss and the damage.
The steps
If water is escaping, close the main shutoff if it is safe to reach. Move valuables and rugs. Keep clear of water near outlets, appliances and pool equipment. If you smell gas, leave the house and call the gas utility and emergency services from outside.
Call. Describe what you saw and anything you have checked. Do not dig, break flooring, cut pipe or run pressure tests.
What a leak detection technician does
A technician is sent to locate the leak, explain the options and give a price before work starts.
If it is after hours, the aim is same-day response.
Nothing is opened until the leak is marked and you have heard the options.
Warm Tile Underfoot? Call NowThe first hour
Shut off the main if it is safe and easy to reach. Keep clear of water near outlets and appliances. Move valuables.
Photograph the signs and note the meter reading. Do not break floors or cut pipe.
Call, and say what you saw and what the meter does. If you smell gas, leave and call the gas utility and emergency services from outside.
Wait for the crew. They locate the leak and explain the options.
In the first hour
If water is coming up through the floor or pooling, find the main shutoff and close it if you can reach it safely. Keep people and pets away from wet areas, and move valuables and anything that can be damaged by water. Then call.
If there is no water on the surface but you suspect a leak, do the meter check: everything off, then five minutes watching the leak indicator. Note the result. If you can, switch off the irrigation controller and read the meter again.
If the water heater is involved and the sign is a warm floor, tell the dispatcher. Do not attempt anything with gas or electrical supply; leave that to the crew.
Write down when you first noticed the sign and anything that changed since. That timeline is useful to the technician.
What to have ready when you call
The dispatcher will ask for the address, the year the home was built, whether there is a pool, the meter results with and without irrigation, any earlier leaks, whether water is surfacing and whether the main is off.
If you have photos of a damp patch, a lifting tile or a meter dial, keep them on your phone. They can help the technician plan before arriving.
Tell the dispatcher about access: locked gates, pets, rooms that are hard to reach or times when no one is home.
Ask what time window to expect. Same-day visits are the aim, and the dispatcher tells you what is realistic that day.
What not to do
Do not break up flooring or dig to look for the leak. An opening in the wrong place adds damage and can make locating harder.
Do not open valve boxes in the yard or work on fittings. The homeowner checks stop at the meter, the irrigation controller and the pool level.
Do not assume the slab is to blame. A pool, irrigation, a toilet or an outdoor line can all move a meter, and the checks are there to rule them out.
Do not wait for the next bill if the meter is moving. Water lost to a leak keeps adding up, and a wet slab can affect flooring over time.
After the call
Once you have called, keep the area clear and the main closed if water is surfacing. If the main is closed, the household has no water until the crew arrives.
If water is not surfacing and the main is open, avoid running water you do not need. Every drop adds to the water under the slab.
Keep taking photos if the damage changes. They help the technician and any other trades later.
Have the year built, the meter results and any earlier leak history ready for the technician.
When the crew arrives, walk them through what you saw and when.
If you are a tenant
If you rent, tell the owner or property manager as soon as you notice a sign. They decide on the repair.
You can still do the first checks: the meter with everything off, the irrigation controller off if you have access, and the pool level if there is a pool.
If water is surfacing, close the main if you can reach it safely, keep people and pets away and call the owner.
Write down what you saw and when.
The owner or manager can call us, or authorise you to.
Talking to the people in the house
A slab leak affects everyone at home. Tell the household what is happening, where the wet or warm area is and that the main may be closed for a while. Children and older relatives may need help avoiding wet floors, and anyone who relies on water for health reasons should know early.
Agree who will speak to the dispatcher and who will meet the crew. One point of contact keeps the details consistent and avoids mixed messages about access, pets or timing.
If the household has to be without water for a few hours, plan for it. Fill a few jugs, set aside water for pets and keep a bucket for flushing toilets if the main is closed.
Keep a short note of what has been done so far: the time the sign was first seen, the meter results, whether the main is closed and what has been moved. Hand it to the technician when they arrive.
Once the leak is marked and the options are explained, involve whoever else needs to agree before you decide. Nothing is booked until you are ready.
A worked example
A homeowner wakes to find water on the kitchen floor with no sign of a fixture leak. They close the main at the front of the house, move rugs and the kitchen table, take photos and call.
They tell the dispatcher the year the home was built, that there is a pool and that the main is closed. The crew arrives, opens the main briefly to test and confirms a leak on the cold line under the kitchen.
The spot is marked, and the options are explained: a spot repair through the kitchen tile, or a reroute through the attic.
The homeowner chooses, the work is booked and the line is tested afterwards with the meter read. The first hour, closing the main, moving things and calling with the details, made the rest go faster.
Have the meter result ready: what the dial did with everything off, and again with the irrigation off.
Another Pinhole? Call NowQuestions about a new slab leak
Where is the main shutoff in an Arizona home?
Often near the hose bib on an outside wall, or at the meter. If you cannot find it, tell the dispatcher when you call.
Should I turn off the power?
Do not touch electrical equipment near water. Leave that to professionals.
Can I keep using water?
If the main is closed, no. Ask the technician for a plan.
Should I turn off the water heater in my Arizona home?
Do not adjust gas appliances. Shut off the main if you can do so safely.
Can I use water after shutting off the main?
No. The main stays off until the crew advises.
What if the floor is wet?
Keep clear of electrical items and call. Shut off the main if it is safe to reach.
Should I call my landlord?
If you rent, tell them as well. They may need to approve the visit.
Should I keep using the dishwasher or washer?
Hold off until the crew has checked. Extra use can add to the loss.