Leak Detection in Youngtown, AZ

Clues your house is leaking

• An EPCOR bill showing higher use without any change in the household
• The meter indicator moving while every tap, appliance and sprinkler is off
• A damp or warm spot on the floor, or tile that has started to crack
• Rust-colored stains or crust around older valves and fittings
• Lower pressure at one faucet or shower than the rest of the house

Youngtown background

Youngtown sits on the east bank of the Agua Fria River between El Mirage and Sun City. It was laid out from 1954 as the first planned retirement community in the country, and its age restrictions were lifted in 1999, so today it is a mixed-age town with a lot of older housing. In homes from that era, original supply pipe, shutoff valves and connections are the usual leak points, and pipe under a slab can develop pinholes that stay hidden until the bill climbs.

The Town does not own a water utility. EPCOR serves Youngtown from the same groundwater system that serves Sun City, and it reports hardness of 7 to 11 grains per gallon. EPCOR also maintains a service line material inventory at epcor.com/safety and says it removes any lead pipe it identifies, which is worth checking if your home is one of the older ones. Required backflow assemblies on EPCOR service must be tested every year, and the customer is responsible for them.

What changes the cost

• How many tests are needed to separate the leaking line from the rest
• Whether the leak is under the slab, in a wall, in the yard or at a fixture
• Pipe condition: in an older house, the plumber may recommend rerouting rather than patching
• Permits from the Town of Youngtown Community Development Department (623-933-8286), if the repair needs one

When you pick up the phone

You will be connected with an independent plumber who covers Youngtown. Describe what you have noticed, roughly when the house was built if you know, and whether a meter check showed movement. If water is coming up near the meter or in the street, call EPCOR at 1-800-383-0834 first. Ask how the leak search is priced and whether the plumber expects a repair or a larger fix based on what you have described.