Leak detection & repair: finding the problem before it becomes a bigger one
Some leaks are obvious.
Water under the sink. A dripping pipe. A wet patch that suddenly appears on the ceiling.
Others are much less straightforward.
A small leak can be hidden behind a wall, underneath a floor or somewhere within your plumbing, quietly causing damage before you even know it’s there.
And the water you can see isn’t always where the leak started.
That’s why good leak detection is about more than finding something wet. It’s about working out where the water is coming from and why.
What are the signs of a hidden leak?
Sometimes there’s no dramatic burst pipe.
Instead, you might notice:
A damp or discoloured patch on a wall or ceiling
Paint or plaster beginning to bubble
Flooring that feels damp or starts to lift
A persistent musty smell
An unexplained drop in water pressure
Your boiler or heating system regularly losing pressure
The sound of running water when everything is turned off
An unexplained increase in water usage
Mould appearing somewhere it hasn’t before
None of these automatically confirms a leak, but they’re all worth investigating.
Why can leaks be difficult to find?
Water has a habit of travelling.
It can run along pipes, joists and other surfaces before appearing somewhere completely different.
So a damp patch on the ceiling doesn’t necessarily mean the leak is directly above it.
Opening up walls or floors without understanding where the problem is coming from can create a lot of unnecessary disruption.
A better approach is to narrow down the likely source first.
What does leak detection involve?
That depends on the situation.
We’ll start by looking at what you’re experiencing, checking the plumbing around the affected area and working through the most likely causes.
The aim is simple:
find the source of the problem while keeping disruption to a minimum.
Once we understand where the water is coming from, we can recommend the appropriate repair rather than simply treating the visible symptom.
What causes leaks?
There isn’t one single cause.
Leaks can develop because of:
Ageing pipework
Loose or damaged fittings
Failed seals
Corrosion
Problems with valves
Heating system components
Appliances
Shower or bathroom fittings
Accidental damage
Movement within pipework
Sometimes it’s a small component that needs replacing.
Other times, a section of pipework may need more attention.
The important part is knowing the difference.
Should a small leak be repaired straight away?
Generally, yes.
A very small amount of water may not look urgent, but buildings aren’t designed to stay wet.
Over time, moisture can affect plaster, decoration, flooring, timber and surrounding materials.
There’s also the simple issue of waste.
Clean water leaking somewhere it shouldn’t be is water you’re paying for but not using.
Getting the problem checked early can often prevent a relatively simple repair becoming a much more disruptive one later.
What if the leak is coming from the heating?
Leaks aren’t limited to taps and water pipes.
Your boiler, radiators and heating pipework all contain water too.
If your boiler pressure keeps dropping, for example, there may be a leak somewhere within the heating system.
It might be visible around a radiator valve or fitting — or it could be much harder to spot.
The boiler is only one part of the picture.
Understanding how the whole system is behaving helps us work out where the problem is really coming from.
Find the cause, then fix the problem
When you discover water somewhere it shouldn’t be, it’s understandable to want it dealt with quickly.
But speed and guesswork aren’t the same thing.
The best repair starts with understanding what has actually happened.
If you’ve spotted signs of a leak — or simply suspect something isn’t right — talk to the Westflow team.
We’ll investigate the problem, explain what we find and help you decide on the right way to put it right.