Emergency Leak Detection and Repair

The problem

A returning customer, who had used our services before and was really happy with our work, called us about an emergency. They could hear water leaking somewhere in the property, but couldn’t see any signs of a leak. Within an hour of their call, we were on site.

What we found

Using our acoustic leak detection equipment, we pinpointed exactly where the water was escaping. We then pressurised the pipework, and the leak could be clearly heard. Knowing exactly where the leak was meant we only needed to open up the floor in one place, rather than lifting large areas to search for it.

After clearing out the boiler cupboard, we carefully started breaking through the concrete floor, and this is where we discovered the real problem. The copper pipes had been buried directly in the concrete with no protection whatsoever. Over time, the copper had badly corroded, and the more pipe we exposed, the worse it became. We understand this pipework was installed by bathroom fitters several years ago.

We also found old disconnected heating pipes and other unnecessary pipework buried underneath. This wasn’t going to be a simple repair, so our priority was to get the customer’s essential services back on.

The work carried out

1. Locating the leak. We used acoustic leak detection equipment to pinpoint where the water was escaping, then pressurised the pipework to confirm it.
2. Opening up the floor. After clearing out the boiler cupboard, we carefully broke through the concrete floor to expose the pipework.
3. Isolating the damage. We isolated the damaged pipework supplying the downstairs bathroom.
4. Temporary cold supply. We made a temporary cold water connection so the downstairs toilet and basin could still be used.
5. Restoring services. With the damaged section isolated, we restored the hot water, cold water and central heating to the rest of the property.

Outcome

The customer was absolutely delighted to have their water and heating back. We’re now preparing a quotation to replace the affected pipework properly, and we’ll be returning to complete the work.

This job is a perfect example of why copper pipes should always be properly protected when they’re buried in concrete. When unprotected pipe corrodes and fails, the leak is hidden under the floor, often until it’s caused real damage. Poor workmanship can end up costing homeowners twice.

If you can hear water running but can’t see a leak, don’t wait for damp patches to appear. Get in touch and we’ll track it down.