Leak Detection & Repair in Hertfordshire

The most reliable indicator is an unexplained increase in your water bill. Other signs include: damp or wet patches on walls, floors or ceilings with no obvious cause; the sound of running water when all taps and appliances are off; a water meter that continues to move with everything closed; mould or mildew appearing in unusual locations; and warm patches on a solid floor (which can indicate a leaking underfloor heating pipe). If you suspect a leak but cannot locate it, call us for an assessment.

Turn off all water outlets — taps, appliances, toilet fill valves. Make a note of the meter reading. Wait 30 minutes without using any water. If the reading has changed, water is flowing somewhere in your system and you likely have a leak. For a faster check, look at the small dial or digital display on your meter — if it is moving with everything closed, you have an active leak.

We use a combination of methods depending on the location and type of leak. Pressure testing isolates pipe sections to confirm where the leak is. Acoustic detection equipment amplifies the sound of water escaping under pressure through a pipe wall, allowing us to pinpoint the location to within centimetres. Thermal imaging cameras identify temperature anomalies caused by warm or cool water leaking into a structure. Tracer gas injection can be used for particularly difficult-to-locate leaks in buried or concealed pipework.

Our approach is always minimum disruption. We only open up a floor or wall after we have confirmed the leak location as precisely as possible — typically to within 30–50cm using acoustic equipment. We do not open areas speculatively. For most leaks, a single targeted access point of 30–60cm is sufficient. For leaks in screeded floors (common with underfloor heating), we cut a small section of screed above the confirmed location.

Yes — underfloor heating leaks are one of the most common concealed leaks we deal with. Wet UFH systems buried in screed can develop leaks at pipe joints or from physical damage. We use a combination of pressure testing (to confirm the leak is in the UFH circuit) and acoustic detection to locate the precise point before any screed is cut. This approach avoids cutting a large area of floor to find the source.

Yes. External mains supply pipe leaks between the meter and the property are your responsibility as the homeowner. Signs include wet patches in the garden, unusually green or lush grass in a line across the garden, or a meter that moves with all internal outlets closed. We use acoustic ground microphones to locate the leak without excavation, then carry out a targeted repair.

Yes, in many cases. Acoustic detection can identify heating circuit leaks while the system is pressurised. If the system pressure is dropping regularly and you cannot find an obvious external leak point, we can carry out a systematic pressure test and acoustic sweep of the accessible pipework to locate the source. We only drain the system once the leak location is confirmed.

A leak detection survey starts from £150 ex VAT for an internal assessment using acoustic equipment. More complex investigations involving thermal imaging, tracer gas or extended pipe surveys cost £250–£500 ex VAT. The repair is quoted separately after the leak is located — a straightforward pipe repair typically costs £200–£400 ex VAT. Insurance trace and access claims often cover both the detection and repair cost.

Yes. We provide a detailed written report covering the method of detection, the leak location, the identified cause and the repair carried out. This format is accepted by most home insurers under a trace and access claim — where the policy covers the cost of finding and accessing the leak, even if the resultant damage is not covered. Ask your insurer about trace and access cover before we visit.

Trace and access cover is a policy add-on (included in many standard home insurance policies) that covers the cost of finding a hidden leak — opening up floors, walls or ground — even where the resulting damage is not a covered peril. It does not typically cover the repair of the pipe itself, but does cover reinstatement of the structure opened to find it. Check your policy schedule for trace and access cover.

A standard internal leak detection survey for a typical 3-bedroom house takes 1.5–3 hours. More complex investigations with multiple suspected leak points, or external/underground leaks, can take 3–5 hours. We aim to locate the leak in a single visit and carry out the repair the same day where possible.

In most cases, yes. We attend with a full range of pipe repair materials and fittings. Once the leak is located and accessed, a permanent repair is usually completed on the same visit. If the repair requires specialist materials (for example, a mains supply pipe of an unusual diameter, or a concealed section requiring significant making good) we will provide a same-day written quote and return promptly.

Pinhole leaks in copper pipework are almost always caused by pitting corrosion — a localised form of corrosion accelerated by hard water. In Hertfordshire's 300–400ppm water, copper pipes 15–20 years old are at significant risk of pitting. The corrosion creates tiny holes through the pipe wall, initially producing a fine spray or drip. If you have had one pinhole leak repaired and another appears in a different location within 12 months, a section or full pipe replacement is usually more cost-effective than continued repairs.