RiverCity Plumbing provides water leak detection and whole-home repiping in Jacksonville, FL, using electronic acoustic equipment to locate hidden leaks without destructive excavation. Jacksonville's 15.3 GPG hard water is the primary cause of pinhole copper leaks and premature pipe failure in homes built before 2000, and a sudden, unexplained spike in your JEA water bill is often the first warning sign. Homes built between 1978 and 1995 in areas like Mandarin (32223) and Orange Park (32073) likely have polybutylene supply lines, which fail without warning due to the chlorine in municipal water — many Florida insurance companies are now refusing to renew policies for homes with these gray plastic pipes. During a repipe we work in sections so you have functioning water and at least one working bathroom at the end of every day; a standard 3-bedroom home takes 2–4 days. Full repipe estimates are always free. Call (904) 760-7837.
A hidden leak is more than just a higher water bill — it is a direct threat to your home’s foundation and safety. In Jacksonville, where shifting sandy soils and aging infrastructure are the norm, homeowners need a specialist who can see what’s happening behind the walls and beneath the slab.
RiverCity Plumbing brings non-invasive sonic and thermal detection equipment to every leak call, which means we locate the problem by listening and measuring — not by opening walls and floors on a hunch. Once the leak is found, you get your options in writing: a targeted repair, a reroute, or a whole-home repipe, each with its own upfront price.
Why Jacksonville Homes Develop Hidden Leaks
Hard Water and Pinhole Copper Leaks
Jacksonville’s 15.3 GPG hard water is the primary cause of pinhole copper leaks and premature pipe failure in homes built before 2000. The first pinhole is rarely the last, which is why we discuss repiping options honestly when a copper system starts failing — and why pairing a repipe with water treatment gives the new pipes protection the old ones never had.
Slab-on-Grade Construction
Most Jacksonville homes are built slab-on-grade, with supply lines running beneath the concrete. A pressurized line can leak under the slab for months before symptoms surface — a warm patch of tile, a hairline foundation crack, a JEA bill that keeps climbing. Our slab leak detection and repair service pinpoints these leaks without exploratory demolition.
The Polybutylene Era
Homes built from the late 1970s through the mid 1990s across Jacksonville were commonly plumbed with polybutylene — the gray plastic pipe now at the center of Florida insurance non-renewals. Details in the insurance alert below and on our polybutylene pipe replacement page.
Galvanized Pipe in Pre-1960s Homes
Homes built before 1960 in Riverside and Avondale, San Marco, and Springfield often still carry original galvanized steel supply lines. Decades of internal corrosion narrow the pipe, drop the water pressure, and eventually rust through. A whole-home repipe is the permanent fix.
Our Specialized Pipe & Leak Services
Electronic & Acoustic Leak Detection
Pressurized water makes a distinct sound when it escapes a pipe. Our water leak detection equipment amplifies and pinpoints that sound through concrete and drywall, narrowing a hidden leak down to a precise repair point before anything is opened up.
Thermal Imaging & Moisture Mapping
Thermal imaging reveals the temperature signature of a hot-side slab leak and maps how far moisture has traveled behind walls — information that matters for both the plumbing repair and any drying afterward.
Slab Leak Repair
Once a slab leak is located, we walk you through the repair paths: open the slab at the exact leak point, reroute the affected line overhead, or — when a system is failing in multiple places — repipe. You choose with the full picture in front of you.
Whole-Home Repiping
We replace outdated galvanized, cast iron, or polybutylene systems with modern PEX or copper. Work proceeds in sections so you have functioning water and at least one working bathroom at the end of every day, and we handle the required City of Jacksonville (COJ) permit and inspections. Full details on our whole-home repiping page.
Polybutylene Pipe Replacement
A permitted polybutylene replacement with documented city inspection is what insurance carriers want to see. We handle the replacement and provide the documentation for your carrier — see polybutylene pipe replacement.
Camera Pipe Inspections
For drain-side concerns, our camera pipe inspections put a lens inside the line and record the footage, so decisions about aging cast iron or clay drains are based on what the pipe actually looks like inside — not on guesswork.
Insurance Alert: Polybutylene Pipes
In 2026, many Florida insurance companies are refusing to renew policies for homes with polybutylene (gray plastic) pipes. These pipes are notorious for sudden, total failure due to the chlorine in our city water.
If your home was built between 1978 and 1995 in areas like Mandarin (32223) or Orange Park (32073), you likely have polybutylene and should get a professional inspection. If your carrier has already sent a non-renewal notice that mentions pipe materials, call us before your response deadline — an inspection and a written replacement plan are often exactly what the carrier needs to see.
Signs You May Have a Hidden Leak
- Sudden, unexplained spike in your JEA water bill
- Sound of running water when all faucets are off
- Warm spots or cold spots on your floor
- New cracks appearing in your foundation or interior walls
- Persistent musty smell or visible mold growth
- Low water pressure throughout the home
Any one of these signs alone can have an innocent explanation. Two or more together usually mean water is going somewhere it should not — and with slab-on-grade construction, waiting rarely makes the repair smaller. Turn off every fixture, check whether the meter is still moving, and call us.
Free Leak Estimate
- → Riverside & Avondale
- → San Marco Service
- → Mandarin Service
- → Orange Park Service
- → Hard Water Solutions
- → Water Leak Detection
- → Whole-Home Repiping
Upfront Pricing, Honest Options
Leak work has a reputation for open-ended bills. Ours works differently: after detection, you receive each viable option — spot repair, reroute, or repipe — as a written, fixed price before any work begins. Full repipe estimates are always free, and every job is performed by licensed, insured technicians under Florida license CFC1429969.
Call (904) 760-7837 for a Free Estimate!
Text us a photo of your problem. Licensed, insured, upfront pricing — always.