Leak detection
A Dedicated Leak Detection Team for London
Hidden leaks are a different job from emergency repairs, so we gave them their own team. It is assigned to leaks only, and it works as Leak Experts London, a subdivision of Emergency Repairs London specialised in leak detection.
Why leaks have their own team
Tracing a concealed leak is not the same as attending an emergency. An emergency rota pulls an engineer from job to job, which is what you want when water is coming through a ceiling. A hidden leak needs the opposite: time to isolate sections of the system, test, listen and compare readings without watching the clock for the next call.
The leak team does that and nothing else. Its equipment, its training and its reports are built around one question: where exactly is the water coming from? The answer is marked on site and written up in a report with at least 10 photographs, set out so that it can be passed to an insurer. The full explanation of how a leak visit works and the equipment used is on the Leak Experts London site.
How the leak team finds a hidden leak
Tracer gas
A harmless gas is introduced into the pipework and traced to the point where it escapes. It finds slow leaks in pipes under floors and inside walls that other methods miss.
Tracer gas leak detectionAcoustic detection
Sensitive microphones listen for the sound of pressurised water escaping, which locates the leak along a pipe run without lifting anything.
Acoustic leak detectionThermal imaging
A thermal camera shows where water has cooled or travelled through a surface, which narrows the search before any opening is made.
Thermal imaging leak surveyNon-invasive survey
The methods are chosen and combined so that the position is known before floors or walls are opened, and any opening is small and in the right place.
Non-invasive leak detectionPlumber or leak team: which one to call
| What you are seeing | Who to call |
|---|---|
| A tap, valve or joint you can see dripping or spraying | A plumber: the leak is visible and needs fixing. |
| A stained ceiling or wall with no pipe obviously behind it | The leak team: the source is hidden. |
| A water meter that moves with every tap and appliance off | The leak team: something is losing water unseen. |
| A wet floor or musty smell that keeps coming back after drying | The leak team: drying alone only delays the problem. |
| A burst pipe with water pouring out | Turn the water off at the stop tap, then a plumber. |
For anything you can see and just need fixing, our emergency plumbers are the quickest route, and our leak detection service page explains the survey from our side. The guide to choosing between a plumber and a leak team goes through the decision in more detail.
What the leak team costs
Fixed price
£580
One detection visit to one property, whichever methods the leak needs, tracer gas included, and a written report with at least 10 photographs. The price is known before the visit. No VAT is charged.
See what the £580 package includesBy the hour
£180 an hour
When one method is enough. If tracer gas is used, £80 is charged once for the gas on top of the hourly rate. No VAT is charged.
Hourly rate or package: which is cheaperTerms and coverage
Everything the leak team charges is published on its site. The no find, no fee terms set out exactly when the detection fee is waived. The team covers all of Greater London, 24 hours a day.
If a repair follows, small repairs that can be done safely on the same visit are agreed first, larger repairs are quoted separately, and damage to walls and ceilings is quoted through a partner team of builders and decorators.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leak Experts London the same company as Emergency Repairs London?
Yes. Leak Experts London is the name our leak team works under. It is part of Emergency Repairs London Ltd, set up to specialise in leak detection, and the team assigned to it works on leaks only.
What does the leak team do that a plumber does not?
It finds leaks you cannot see. It uses tracer gas, acoustic detection, thermal imaging and moisture mapping to locate the source before anything is opened up, and it ends every visit with a written report with at least 10 photographs.
Which areas does the leak team cover?
All of Greater London, 24 hours a day.
How is the leak team priced?
There are two ways to pay, both published and both without VAT: a £580 fixed price for locating a leak in one property with whichever methods the leak needs, or £180 an hour when a single method is enough, with £80 charged once if tracer gas is used.
Will my insurer pay for finding the leak?
Many home insurance policies include trace and access cover, which may pay for locating a hidden leak after any excess. Whether yours does depends on the policy, and the insurer decides. The written report is set out so that you can pass it on.
Can't find where the water is coming from?
The leak team finds the source before anything is opened up.
Go to Leak Experts Londonor call 020 4634 6789