Leak Detection: Find the Leak First, Open Up Once
A stained ceiling, a warm patch on the floor, a boiler that keeps losing pressure, a water bill that’s crept up. Whatever the symptom, the job is the same: locate the leak precisely, prove it with evidence, and open up in one place, not five. We start with non-invasive checks where suitable. If access is needed, we explain why and agree the next step. Fully insured damp, mould and leak specialists.
Every kind of leak, one investigation team
Plumbing & hidden pipe leaks
Hot and cold supply pipes under floors, in walls and boxed-in runs, located without ripping the room apart.
Central heating leaks
Heating circuits lose pressure through pinholes you’ll never see. Thermal imaging and tracer gas find them. See central heating leaks.
Boiler losing pressure
If the boiler checks out but pressure keeps dropping, the water is going somewhere. Why boilers lose pressure.
Ceiling leaks
Stains that dry up and come back, drips from light fittings, leaks from the flat above, all traced to the actual source, not the wet patch.
Under floors & behind walls
Screeded floors, tiled bathrooms and finished walls investigated with moisture mapping, acoustics and tracer gas before anything is opened.
Water mains & supply pipes
External mains under drives and gardens, and the private supply pipe you’re responsible for. See water mains & supply pipe investigation.
Waste & drainage leaks
Leaking waste pipes and defective drains feed damp into the building for years. CCTV drainage surveys put the cause on camera.
Roof leaks & water ingress
Not every wet ceiling is plumbing. We separate roof leaks and water ingress from pipe leaks with evidence.
Damp & mould after leaks
Long-running leaks leave saturated walls and mould behind. We assess it in the same visit, with damp surveys and mould inspections.
How we find leaks without damage
Thermal imaging, acoustic listening, tracer gas, moisture mapping and CCTV, matched to the pipe, the surface and the symptom. Full plain-English explainer: how we find hidden leaks without damage. We won’t promise zero disruption (no honest company can) but locating first means one targeted access point instead of exploratory holes.
Trace & access and your insurance
Many buildings policies include trace-and-access cover for the cost of finding a hidden leak and reaching it. Our reports are insurance-ready: cause, location, method, readings and photographs, evidence prepared for your insurer or loss adjuster. Read does insurance cover trace & access? or go to trace & access and insurance reports. For complex or disputed claims see water leak investigations.
What happens on site
- History first: what you’ve seen, when it started, what’s been tried.
- Non-invasive survey with the methods above, matched to your property.
- We show you the evidence and explain where the leak is and why we’re confident.
- If access is needed to confirm or repair, we explain why and agree the next step before anything is opened.
After the leak is found
You get the location, the cause and the evidence (readings, thermal images and photographs) plus repair and reinstatement recommendations. Repairs and any follow-on works are quoted based on the job. Need it urgently? We offer emergency leak attendance across London & Surrey.
A note on “no find no fee”
We don’t offer no-find-no-fee visits. You pay for the investigation, the evidence and professional attendance, and you get a documented answer either way. That’s what makes the report worth something to you and your insurer.
Leak detection FAQs
How quickly can you attend?
Call 0800 054 1524 for an honest window for your postcode, active leaks causing damage are prioritised as emergencies.
What does it cost?
Investigations are scoped to the job, see what leak detection costs, and your price is confirmed before we attend. Repairs are quoted based on the job.
Can you fix the leak as well as find it?
Yes. Our own engineers handle repairs, or you’re free to use the report with any contractor. No obligation either way.
Will my insurance cover the investigation?
Many buildings policies include trace-and-access cover. We can’t promise what any insurer will pay, but our reports are prepared to support the claim process properly.
Book leak detection
📞 Call free: 0800 054 1524
💬 WhatsApp: 07733 019492
Or send the form below. London & Surrey.
Related: Water Leak Investigations · Trace & Access · Emergency Leak Detection · Insurance Reports · Contact
Leak tracing in plain words
People search for “find a leak”, “locate the source of a leak”, “leak tracing”, “non-invasive leak detection” and “non-destructive leak detection”. They all mean the same job: work out where water is escaping without tearing the property apart. Our approach is set out in full on how we investigate; in short, we isolate circuits one at a time (incoming main, cold distribution, hot distribution, heating, underfloor heating), pressure test each, map moisture with pin and pinless capacitance meters, use thermal imaging and dye testing, and bring in acoustic listening or tracer gas where the simpler tests have narrowed the area.
Where the leak usually is
- Ceiling below a bathroom: bath and shower seals, trays, wastes and pan connectors, found with controlled water tests. See leak from the flat above.
- Heating pipes under floors: pinholes and failed joints, found with the system hot and thermal imaging. See central heating leaks.
- Incoming main, lead pipe or buried supply: a water bill that has gone up or a meter that keeps running with everything off. Garden and external leaks are traced with acoustic and tracer gas methods. See supply pipe leaks.
- Concealed pipes in ducts, behind tiling and in kitchen units.
- Soil and waste pipes, which only leak when used. See soil pipe leaks.
Swimming pools, ponds and hot tubs need specialist electronic leak detection equipment designed for those installations; if you ask us about one we will say so and point you to the right specialist rather than guess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is your leak detection non-invasive?
Yes, first. Pressure tests, moisture mapping, thermal imaging, dye, acoustic and tracer gas methods locate the leak before anything is opened. If an inspection hole is needed to confirm, it is agreed with you first.
My water bill has doubled. Is that a leak?
Often. Turn everything off and watch the meter; if it still moves, water is escaping somewhere between the meter and the taps. Book a supply pipe investigation.
Can you find a leak in a buried garden pipe?
Yes, using acoustic listening and tracer gas where appropriate, so one hole is dug in the right place.
Do you fix the leak once found?
DML locates and reports. The repair is quoted separately by our team or your own plumber.
Last reviewed: 27 October 2026. Independent investigation and written reports. Repairs are quoted separately.