This checklist covers what to ask before anyone comes out: who does the repair, which methods they use, what you get when the leak is found, how to check a license with the Nevada State Contractors Board, and what to say on the call. Leak Detection Las Vegas is one of the companies you could call, so we point out where our own answers fit and where they do not. For the service itself, start at our leak detection in Las Vegas page.
What does a leak detection company actually do?
A leak detection company proves water is escaping, works out which part of the plumbing it is escaping from, and marks the spot before anything is cut, drilled or broken. The repair is a separate job, usually done by a plumber.
That split matters most for leaks you cannot see. A dripping angle stop under a sink does not need a specialist; any plumber can fix it on sight. A slab leak, a buried service line or a pool that keeps dropping is different, because the expensive mistake is opening the wrong place.
Detection-only or a company that also sells the repair?
Both models are legitimate, and each suits a different job.
A company that locates and repairs can fix a simple leak on the same visit. The trade-off shows up on hidden leaks with several possible fixes. Under a slab, the options can run from a spot repair to a reroute to a whole-home repipe (our reroute vs repipe guide explains each). When the company that finds the leak also prices the fix, you are relying on the same people for the diagnosis and the sale.
A detection-only company has no repair to sell, so the finding is the whole product. Leak Detection Las Vegas works this way: we locate and mark the leak, and the plumber you choose repairs it. If you already trust a plumber, that is often the cleaner route for slab leak detection in Las Vegas.
Ask on the call: "If you find the leak, can I take your finding to another plumber?"
- 1Meter box. Lift the lid to see the water meter.
- 2Flow-indicator triangle (red or white) on the meter face. With all water off inside and outside the home, a triangle that is still moving means there may be a leak.
- 3Meter dial and sweep hand, which record the water that passes through the meter.
- 4Service line from the meter to the house. If the triangle still moves with the house shut-off valve closed, the leak is likely underground on this line.
- 5House shut-off valve. Close it and check the triangle again: if it stops, the leak is elsewhere on the property.
Which methods should a leak detection company use?
Listen for the order of work, not a list of gadgets. A sound visit in the Las Vegas Valley starts at the water meter, because that is how the Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) tells customers to check for a leak: turn off all water inside and outside, then watch the red or white flow-indicator triangle. If it still moves, there may be a leak. Closing the house shut-off valve then splits the problem in two. Per LVVWD, a triangle that keeps moving with that valve closed points to the buried line between the valve and the meter.
After that, good companies isolate one line at a time (hot from cold, house from irrigation, pool from everything else) and only then narrow the search with methods such as pressure testing, acoustic listening and thermal imaging. Pools add their own first step: SNWA's bucket test separates evaporation from a real loss before any dye goes in the water, which is how pool leak detection in Las Vegas should begin. More detail: how leak detection works.
The red flag is a company that wants to open a wall, a floor or the yard before the meter test and isolation are done.
What should you get when the leak is found?
At minimum, a marked location and a clear explanation of which line is leaking and how that was confirmed. Ask in advance what form the finding takes: a mark on the floor or ground, photos, or a written summary.
The record matters later. The Insurance Information Institute suggests photographing or videotaping damage and saving receipts. LVVWD's Leak Repair Reimbursement Program can return up to 50 percent of a repair, up to $2,000 per event, to single-family owners with a paid invoice, and its Leak Adjustment Program runs on deadlines counted from the billing date. Our LVVWD and SNWA leak programs guide lists the windows. On our visits we mark the spot and explain what your plumber needs to know; if an insurer or utility wants more, say so on the call.
How do you check a contractor's license in Nevada?
The Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB) states that under NRS 624.700 it is unlawful to work as a contractor in Nevada, or bid on a job here, without an active license. Checking takes a few minutes:
- Ask the company for its license number and the exact business name.
- Search it on the NSCB License Search (opens in a new tab) and confirm it is active and the name matches.
- Run the NSCB Disciplinary Search on the same site.
NSCB also lists a handyman exemption (NRS 624.031) for some work under $1,000 including labor and materials, with conditions. A cheap quote is therefore not proof that a license was needed or held, so check anyway.
One more filter applies if you want SNWA's leak detection voucher, worth up to $250 for qualifying single-family owners once per calendar year. It is redeemed only through a participating Water Smart Plumber listed on SNWA.com. Leak Detection Las Vegas is not on that list, so if the voucher matters to you, choose from SNWA's list.
Why does 24/7 call answering matter?
Leaks keep their own hours: a supply line can let go at 2 a.m. on a holiday weekend. A company that answers 24/7 lets you report it, get shut-off guidance and book the visit while it is happening, instead of leaving a voicemail.
Be clear on what 24/7 means. It means the phone is answered; it does not tell you when someone will be at your door. Ask for the arrival time and get it confirmed on the call. Our phone is picked up 24/7, nights, weekends and holidays included, and we confirm the visit time when you call. While you wait, close the house shut-off valve (how to shut off water in Las Vegas), and for a heater, see water heater leak detection in Las Vegas. Our 24/7 emergency leak detection page covers active leaks.
What should you ask on the call?
Use these questions with any company, ours included:
- Do you only locate leaks, or do you also quote the repair?
- What do you check first? (Listen for the meter.)
- Which methods will you use for my type of leak?
- How is the finding marked or recorded?
- What is your Nevada contractor license number?
- How is the visit priced, and what changes it?
- Do you cover pools and spas as well as the house?
- When can someone arrive, and is that confirmed now?
Have your own answers ready too: your meter test result with the house valve open and closed, any LVVWD continuous-flow notice date, and the water provider on your bill. If the trigger was a bill, our high water bill leak detection page starts from the same meter reading.
Red flags when comparing leak detection companies
- A firm price before anyone knows where the leak is. Our leak detection cost guide explains what really drives the quote.
- "Free detection" that only applies if you sign for the repair.
- Opening anything before a meter test and line isolation.
- No license number, or a name that does not match the NSCB record.
- A vague answer about when someone will arrive.
Call Leak Detection Las Vegas
If your meter is still moving, call us any hour, tell us what it shows, and we will plan the search from there.
