Dye Testing
Trace leaks, confirm flow paths, and solve drainage mysteries with fast, non-destructive dye testing.
Fast diagnostics for leaks, odors, and cross-connections.
Clear Answers Without Demo Work
Dye testing lets us confirm how water is moving through your system without tearing anything apart. It is fast, safe, and effective for pinpointing issues.
When Dye Testing Helps Most
Home-sale compliance test
Required for saleMost Allegheny and Washington County municipalities require a dye test as part of the real-estate transfer — stormwater cross-connections are a dealbreaker until they're fixed.
Downspouts tied to the sanitary line
UrgentOlder Pittsburgh homes often have roof drains piped into the sanitary sewer. We trace them and document the cross-connection so you know what you're selling or buying.
Sewer smell you can't locate
UrgentWhen a trap is dry, a cleanout is cracked, or a vent is blocked, sewer gas gets into the living space. Colored dye tracing pinpoints the source.
Yard-drain or area-drain questions
Plan aheadYou're about to pour a patio, add a downspout extension, or submit a permit. Knowing where your existing underground drains actually go is the starting point.
Our Dye Testing Process
Walk the property
We map every cleanout, downspout, area drain, and vent — and ask about past flooding, repairs, and smells. Five minutes of good questions saves hours of testing.
Controlled dye application
Fluorescent tracer dye introduced at each suspect point. We use different colors per point so there's no ambiguity about what's coming out where.
Watch the downstream end
We camera the main or stand at the curb cleanout and watch for dye to appear. Time-to-appearance and color tell us which upstream inlet is tied to which downstream line.
Written report and filing
Pass/fail results with photos and diagram. We file it with the municipality if that's part of your transaction — no running documents around town yourself.
Where Dye Testing Helps Most
Home-sale compliance
Mt. Lebanon, Dormont, Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, and most Washington County municipalities require a passed dye test before settlement. We do dozens of these a month.
Pre-purchase inspection
Buying an older Pittsburgh home? A dye test finds illegal cross-connections that the seller may not even know about — and it changes the negotiation.
Landlord compliance
Multi-unit owners: many boroughs require periodic dye testing as part of rental compliance. We'll set up an inspection schedule.
Commercial / institutional
Property managers, schools, and healthcare facilities use dye testing to verify that equipment drains (like mop sinks, lab sinks, and condensate lines) actually go where the as-builts say they do.
Dye Testing FAQs
How long does a residential dye test take?
Most single-family Pittsburgh-area homes take 1-2 hours on site, plus time to write the report. Larger properties with multiple downspouts and area drains run longer.
Do you submit the results to the municipality?
Yes — for any borough or township that has a home-sale dye testing requirement, we complete the specific municipal form and file it on your behalf. You get a copy for your records and for closing.
What if I fail?
A failed test means a stormwater connection (usually a downspout or area drain) is illegally tied into the sanitary sewer. We quote the fix — disconnect the roof drain, run it to daylight or to a proper storm inlet — and re-test when the work is done.
Need to Trace a Leak? We Can Help.
We respond quickly to determine where the water is going and how to fix it.