TL;DR: Water bill spiking? Wet spots in walls or ceilings? Franklin repairs water leaks across NWA — supply lines, slab leaks, in-wall leaks, and drain-line leaks. If the leak is hidden and needs pinpointing, we recommend TDS (Trenchless Leak Detection) out of Fort Smith for the find, and we’ll handle the repair from there.
Signs of a hidden leak
Most hidden leaks announce themselves in one of these ways:
Spike in your water bill with no obvious change in usage. Probably the single most common sign. A pinhole leak in a supply line can run thousands of gallons a month before you notice anything visible.
Mold or mildew smell. Especially in a closet, behind a vanity, or near an exterior wall. Where there’s a smell, there’s moisture; where there’s moisture inside a wall, there’s a leak.
Wet spots, stains, or bubbling paint. Drywall stains, ceiling rings, soft baseboards, and paint that’s peeling or bubbling are all moisture signs.
Warm spots on a slab floor. A hot water supply line leaking under a slab will literally warm the concrete above it. Walk around barefoot — if one section of your slab is noticeably warm, you may have a slab leak.
Sound of running or dripping water when nothing is on. Especially noticeable at night. The water meter test confirms it: shut off every fixture in the house, then watch the meter. Movement = leak.
For hidden leaks, we recommend TDS for the find
Franklin is a repair company — we’re great at fixing leaks once we know where they are. But pinpointing a hidden leak under a slab or behind drywall is a specialty all its own, and the equipment to do it well (acoustic ground microphones, thermal imaging cameras, tracer-gas rigs) is expensive enough that it only makes sense for a company that does detection all day, every day.
That’s why we partner with TDS — Trenchless Leak Detection out of Fort Smith (479-651-6022). They show up with the right tools and mark the exact spot. Then Franklin comes in, makes the smallest possible access cut, and repairs the line at a flat-rate price.
If the leak is already visible — under a sink, behind a washer, at an angle stop, or anywhere else you can see — you can skip detection entirely. Just call us and we’ll fix it.
What Franklin repairs
Slab leak repairs. Once TDS marks the spot, we either break and patch the slab or reroute the line overhead through walls and attic, depending on which makes more sense for your house.
In-wall pipe repairs. Pinhole leaks, failed fittings, and burst sections behind drywall. We make a clean access cut, replace the bad section in copper or PEX, pressure-test it, and leave the access ready for a drywall patch.
Supply line and angle stop replacements. Under sinks, behind toilets, behind washers and dishwashers. Often a same-visit fix.
Shower pan, tub, and toilet leaks. Wax ring failures, tub overflow gasket leaks, and shower pan issues that show up as ceiling stains in the room below.
Drain-line leaks. Trap leaks, drain-arm leaks, and waste-line leaks under sinks and behind walls.
Outdoor and yard supply line leaks. The line between your meter and your house, hose bib leaks, and irrigation supply leaks.
What to do right now if you suspect a leak
1. Shut off the water. Find your main shutoff (usually near the front of the house or at the meter) and close it. Stops the damage clock immediately.
2. Take photos. Stains, warm spots, water meter readings, anything visible. Useful for both the repair and any insurance claim.
3. Call Franklin. If the leak location is obvious, we can come out and repair it. If it’s hidden, we’ll point you to TDS for detection first — that way you’re not paying us to guess.
4. Document for insurance. Most homeowners policies cover sudden water damage but not the cost of fixing the leak itself. A written report from TDS plus a flat-rate repair quote from Franklin is exactly what your adjuster will ask for.