Leak Detection & Water Damage — Find It Without Ripping the House Apart
Hidden leaks, ceiling stains, boiler pressure drops and under-floor water — traced with thermal imaging, acoustic listening and moisture mapping. Insurance-ready reports and a £50 diagnostic refunded if we can't locate the source.
Water coming through the ceiling? Chat with KJ now
Real triage in seconds. £50 diagnostic visit — refunded if we don't fix it.
Signs of a hidden leak — checklist
You don't need to see water to have a leak. Any two of these signs together usually mean water is escaping somewhere you can't see.
Unexplained damp patch or ring on a ceiling
Almost always a slow leak upstairs — shower tray, WC pan seal, bath silicone or a joint in a heating rad above.
Water meter still moving with everything off
Turn off every tap, WC and appliance, wait 30 minutes, then read the meter. Any movement = a live leak on the incoming mains.
Boiler pressure keeps dropping
If you're topping up more than once a month, water is escaping somewhere on the heating side — often into the floor void or under a rad you can't see.
Warm floor tile or unexplained warm spot
A warm patch in a floor with no underfloor heating usually means a leaking hot pipe underneath.
Water bill jumped for no reason
A quiet mains leak can lose 200+ litres a day before you see any visible sign — the bill is often the first clue.
Musty smell in a room with no obvious wet
Moisture behind a wall or under a floor grows mould long before it breaks through. If it smells damp, believe your nose.
Peeling paint or lifting skirting
Moisture in the plaster pushes paint off from the inside and lifts skirting away from walls at floor level.
Sudden mould near a bath, shower or toilet
New black mould in the same corner every week — usually a failed silicone seal or slow tile leak, not just extractor fan issues.
How we actually find hidden leaks
No single tool works for every leak. We combine the right methods for your situation — mains vs heating vs waste — and start with the least invasive option.
Thermal imaging
Handheld infrared camera picks up the temperature difference between wet and dry material through the wall. Best for hot-water and heating leaks.
Acoustic listening
Ground microphones and correlators pick up the hiss of water escaping under pressure. Best for hidden mains and under-floor leaks.
Moisture mapping
Pin and pinless moisture meters build a grid of readings across the affected area to isolate the exact source, not just the puddle.
Tracer gas
Non-toxic hydrogen-nitrogen mix injected into the system rises through any breach. Best for pinpointing tiny leaks in inaccessible pipework.
Endoscope / borescope
Fibre-optic camera through a small hole (usually a grommet or existing access) confirms the leak visually before we cut anything larger.
CCTV drain camera
For suspected under-floor waste or soil-pipe leaks — colour footage and chainage measurement to locate exactly.
Insurance claim guidance
Practical steps — not legal advice. Every insurer is different; check your policy schedule for the exact "trace and access" limit and excess.
1. Stop the leak — then photograph everything
Isolate the water (stopcock for mains, filling loop for heating) and take wide + close-up photos of the damage BEFORE anything is touched or dried out. Video helps too.
2. Notify your insurer within 24 hours
Most home insurance policies require prompt notification. A quick call to log the claim protects your position — you don't need every detail yet.
3. Book a leak detection report
Insurers pay for 'trace and access' under most policies. Our detection reports include the method used, thermal / moisture images, the exact source, and a written summary in the format loss adjusters accept.
4. Get a written repair quote
Separate the detection cost from the repair cost. Insurers expect this split. We provide both in one document, itemised, so the loss adjuster can approve without back-and-forth.
5. Keep receipts for temporary measures
Dehumidifiers, temporary accommodation, replacement carpet you had to lift — every reasonable cost is usually reclaimable. Keep the receipts.
This is general guidance based on typical UK home insurance policies — not legal or financial advice. Your policy wording takes precedence.
Fixed £50 diagnostic
Flat fee. No hourly meter running.
Fair quote or refund
Transparent pricing — refunded if we don't fix it.
Vetted UK engineers
DBS-checked, insured, real reviews.
AI-triaged in seconds
KJ chats first so the right engineer arrives.
Leak & damage services we cover
Hidden leak detection
Thermal + acoustic + tracer gas — find before we cut.
Leaking pipes & joints
Copper, plastic, compression — permanent repairs.
Burst pipes
Isolate, contain, replace — same-day in most cases.
Pressure loss (heating & mains)
Boilers losing pressure weekly usually mean a leak.
Drainage leaks & waste pipes
Under-floor waste, soil pipes, hidden joins.
Boiler & heating leaks
PRVs, expansion vessels, rad valves, pinhole rad leaks.
Water near lights or a fuse box? Isolate the electrics first
If water is dripping near a light fitting, socket or consumer unit, switch off the affected circuits at the fuse box before touching anything, then call 01706 318200. Don't stand in standing water under a live light.
Where we cover for leak detection
Same-day for active leaks across Greater Manchester and Rochdale — booked detection visits within 2 – 3 working days.
Leaks & water damage — FAQs
Suspect a hidden leak? Get an insurance-ready report
Real triage in seconds. £50 diagnostic visit — refunded if we don't fix it.
Related: all services, emergency plumbing, drainage.