Leak Detection
Leak Detection & Repairs
Most leaks do not announce themselves with a burst pipe. They show up as a water bill that has climbed for no reason, a patch of wall that stays damp, or a section of slab that is warm underfoot.
Finding a concealed leak is about narrowing it down before opening anything up. Breaking into the wrong wall is expensive, and it does not fix the leak.
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Signs of a concealed leak
- A water bill noticeably higher than usual with no change in how much water you are using
- The water meter still ticking over with every tap in the house turned off
- A damp or discoloured patch on a wall, ceiling or floor that keeps coming back after it dries
- A musty smell in a room, or paint and skirting lifting near the floor
- An area of floor that is warm underfoot — often a hot water line leaking under the slab
- The sound of running water in a wall when nothing is on
- Grass or garden that stays green in one spot through dry weather, which can be the water service or an irrigation line
- Mortar, tiles or grout deteriorating in one specific area of a wet room
How a leak gets found
Isolate before you investigate
The first job is working out whether the loss is on the water service, inside the house, in the hot line or the cold, or not a supply leak at all — a leaking toilet inlet or a failed relief valve can account for a surprising amount of water. Meter readings with sections isolated narrow it down quickly.
Find it without demolishing the place
The aim is to open up one small area in the right place rather than several in the wrong ones. That means working methodically from the isolation results and the physical evidence before anything gets cut.
Shower and waterproofing leaks
Not every damp wall is a pipe. Failed shower waterproofing, a cracked hob, perished grout or a bad seal at the waste will all push water into adjoining walls, and the fix is completely different from a pipe repair. Diagnosing which one you have determines whether you need a plumber or a bathroom rebuild.
Slab leaks
Pipework under a slab is the hardest case, and the one where careful location matters most. It is also where guessing costs the most, because the access has to be cut through concrete.
Common questions
How do I tell whether I actually have a leak?
Turn off every tap and water-using appliance in the house, then watch the water meter. If the dial is still moving, water is going somewhere. That simple test is worth doing before you call anyone, because it tells you whether you are looking for a supply leak at all.
My bill is high but I cannot see any water. Where does it go?
Into the ground, into a wall cavity, under the slab, or down the sewer from a leaking toilet. A continuously running toilet inlet or a relief valve discharging can waste a lot of water with nothing visible to show for it, which is why they are among the first things to check.
Will you have to cut holes in my walls?
Sometimes access is unavoidable to repair the pipe. The point of detection work is to make it one considered opening in the right place instead of several exploratory ones. Nothing gets cut before we have narrowed the location down.
Is a slab leak repairable, or does the slab have to come up?
It depends where the pipe runs and what it is. Often a targeted repair or a re-route of that section is possible without touching the rest of the slab. It is a case-by-case answer once the leak is located.
Where we work
We cover the southern Gold Coast, including Coolangatta, Bilinga, Tugun, Currumbin, Currumbin Waters, Elanora, Palm Beach, and Tallebudgera. Not sure if you are in range? Give us a call and we will tell you straight away. The full list of suburbs is on the home page.
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