Skip to content
forebot.
Sign inBook a demo

Stain, soft floor or suspected hidden leak.

A trained tech can take readings, and a licensed plumber should do pressure isolation, opening of finishes and repairs.

Customers put it like this

  • There's a stain on my ceiling
  • The floor feels soft
  • The water meter moves with everything off
  • The tile is coming loose in the shower
Prepare this job in ForeBotFind another guide

Stop first if

  • Water is near a panel, outlets or light fixturesStay clear of it. Call the electric utility or a licensed electrician before anyone goes in.
  • A floor feels soft, or framing looks rotted or has movedKeep people off it. Have a qualified structural repair person look before work goes on.
  • Water is actively flooding the spaceClose the closest valve or the main only if it can be done without risk. Otherwise leave the area and call for help.
01

Ask on the call

6

Homeowner? These are the questions a good technician will ask you. Having the answers ready makes the first visit count.

  1. What do you see: a stain, peeling paint, loose tile, a soft floor or a musty smell?
  2. Does it get worse after a shower, a flush, rain, a cold snap or humid weather?
  3. What sits above or beside that spot?
  4. Was anything fastened into that wall lately, like shelves or cabinets?
  5. Is your water meter indoors or outdoors, or are you on a well?
  6. Is the building under a year old?
02

Bring

6
  • Moisture meter
  • Thermometer and humidity meter
  • Thermal camera if available
  • Pressure gauge for a hose bibb
  • Smoke or peppermint test supplies
  • Flashlight
03

Check on site

6
  1. Map each symptom with the material it sits on. List water-carrying parts above and beside it.
  2. Build a timeline against fixture use, rain, cold snaps and humid weather.
  3. On a sweating surface, read air temperature, humidity and surface temperature. Work out the dew point.
  4. Start moisture readings in a known dry area and work toward the stain. From the highest reading, follow pipe routes upward.
  5. With fixtures and appliances off, watch the meter. Check toilets, relief lines and softeners before calling it hidden.
  6. A licensed plumber tests sections in turn, then cuts the smallest opening where readings are highest.
04

Keep on the record

5
  • Marked photos of each symptom and the material under it
  • Moisture readings with locations, including the dry reference
  • Air temperature, humidity and surface temperature on any sweating surface
  • Meter readings with start and end times
  • Timeline of wet periods against use and weather

General guidance for a qualified person, not a finding about any home. The person on site decides.