Plumbing Company London | How do I find out where my water leak is coming from?
Whether you are a homeowner, tenant or landlord, there is a chance you will experience leaking heating or plumbing appliance or pipe.
It’s never fun to wake up or arrive home and find water everywhere, but it can be even worse when you have no idea what caused the flooding. Maybe your dishwasher flooded or maybe there’s a pipe burst?
A flood can happen to anyone, anytime. It could be costly for you if your water meter or plumber or water bill is high because of a leaking property.
Even the most careful homeowners can’t avoid all leaks and there will always be some damage to their home or bank balance. However, taking these steps in advance should reduce your risk significantly when you need it most!
Leaks can be sneaky, and often times you don’t see them coming until the flood is already happening. The key thing here? Detecting leaks early- before they become an issue.
How to detect a leak in your house
You don’t have to see any water leaking from the pipes in order for you to detect it. All that’s needed are some simple measures and a keen sense of hearing, as well as an awareness not just about what these actions might reveal but also why they’re happening at this time.
- One of the most important things you can do to save money on water is to check your usage regularly. If you can see an unexpected increase, and you didn’t use more water than normal, there must be an internal leak somewhere in the system.
- A leak in the water supply could be responsible for a drop in pressure.
- Pressure drop in the boiler also can be a sign of a leak.
- Water dripping sound.
- And the most obvious sign is when the leak is visible.
You could try the following to detect a water leak underground:
- Damp patches, pools of water
- Unpleasant smells
- Visible potholes
- High water bills are also an indicator of an outside leak too. It is good to find out, however, where the leak is because sometimes your water supplier is responsible to fix it.
Always call a leak detection specialist
A small investment can save you a lot of money.
It is always recommended to call a professional when you experience any sign above. Not all plumbers are trained or use professional tools to detect internal leaks, so make sure you are calling someone with leak detection tools.
Using the tools are required knowledge of a heating system, plumbing system, and the tools themselves.
Methods can be the following:
- Thermal image camera
- Tracer dye tests
- Tracer gas
- Moisture analysis
- Acoustic tests
- Moisture/ damp surveys
- Borescope cameras
Need some professional guidance?
We are at MML Plumbing Ltd here to serve you with our best knowledge, using the best tools, and 99% of the leak has been found by our engineers in the first hour. Give us a call at 0208 3550 840.
Most common places to look for water leaks
Toilets – This is usually nothing that worries us; however, you should call a plumber if there are continual leaks because of how costly the water loss can be!
Water tank/boiler – A leak in your heating system could be an indication of something seriously wrong, and you can’t fix it yourself. The best thing to do is call a professional for help!
Appliances: It’s important to check your appliances regularly because they can shift slightly from their original position and lead you on a slippery slope of leaks. Make sure all the attachments are secure by checking that valves etcetera are still there!
Showerheads: You use your shower on a regular basis, so it’s no surprise that over time the parts start to wear down and leaks are likely.
Can I detect a water leak under the concrete?
A water leak under concrete can be hard to spot, so it’s best if you look for damp patches on the floor and smells of mould or mildew when trying. The first thing you should look for, however, is cracks in the concrete itself.
If you think you have a leak under the floor, time to call a professional.
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Early signs – How to act?
When you have a water leak, the first thing that should come to mind is calling an expert plumber. You want your house and family safe from any potential disasters or financial problems related to this serious issue! If there are any signs present in our list below then it would be best for you to fix them as soon as possible so you don’t end up having more trouble than necessary at hand (especially if it’s something huge like boiler leaks).
- Check your water meter
- Look at your usage
- Monitor your bill
- Use common sense
- Check for visible leak
Take Away Tips
Meter reading – One of the best ways to tell if you have a leak in some part of your plumbing is by checking out how much water usage goes down. To do this, turn off all faucets and make sure the dishwasher or washer doesn’t run while watching the meter; If it does change then there’s likely something going on.
Water pipes – It’s important to remember that all piping after the meter is the homeowner’s responsibility.
When your water bill is going up, but your habits did not change, this is because you might have a leak, which you may not notice before. If this sounds like something that might concern you, gather all of the bills from recent months and compare them with one another in order to see if there has been a steady increase or a two-month pattern emerging among them. A professional plumber would have better luck detecting where exactly those costly little drops happen than someone who doesn’t know what they’re looking for!
Food colouring – Leaks in your toilet can waste up to 30% of the water you use. To test for leaks, add a few drops of food colouring to the tank and wait ten minutes before checking if there are any visible dye traces in the bowl.
Garden – Leaks can happen not just inside the house, but outside. Apart from a leaky pipe underground, and a faulty water meter they’re most likely coming from your outside spigots too. Check them regularly.
Small leak – Don’t forget about the most important place in your home: underneath cabinets and behind toilets. Mould can grow quickly if not checked for regularly, so make sure you’re vigilant every six months or year before panic sets in! A professional plumber will be able to spot any leaks before they become overwhelming expenses that could cost hundreds of pounds each time something needs to be fixed.
Other leaks – Be especially vigilant if your home is over 25 years old; the plumbing system in your house might be on its last leg. Inspect all accessible connections at the water heater, pumps, washing machine hoses and valves for oxidation or discolouration – clear signs of a slow leak!
If you think there might be a leak in your plumbing system, call an expert as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the problem gets worse and turns into a disaster!
Remember, leak detection and fixing are not DIY projects. Handle them seriously.
Need some professional guidance?
We are at MML Plumbing Ltd here to serve you with our best knowledge, using the best tools, and 99% of the leak has been found by our engineers in the first hour. Give us a call at 0208 3550 840.
Frequently asked questions about leak detection
How accurate is leak detection?
Leak detection is the best way to find leaks and pinpoint where they are. With our leak-detection methodologies, we can accurately detect invisible, and visible leaks. Normally with the right tools, 99% of the leaks can be found, however, there is no guarantee to avoid further leaks in the future.
How does leak detection work?
A leak detection specialist’s knowledge and tools are the keys to finding the invisible leak or a source of a visible leak. Our experts are using a variety of leak detection tools, in order to find the source.
How do plumbers detect hidden leaks?
Not all plumbers are capable to find leaks. We never recommend calling out a plumber, who has no experience finding invisible leaks. You need tools, to avoid further issues. Always call a leak detection specialist.
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