The Leak Lab field notes.
32 practical guides to the signs, the methods and the details behind an agreed repair.
Pressure loss: what to record first
Build a useful heating history before assuming a hidden pipe has failed.
Trace, access and repair: the boundaries
Understand the difference between locating a source and restoring a finish.
A better starting point for the visit
A short history and useful access matter more than your own diagnosis.
Making sense of a moving meter
Start by distinguishing expected consumption from unexplained loss.
Does the damp fit a plumbing leak?
Compare the moisture with the conditions around it.
Working back from water overhead
The visible mark may be the end of a longer route.
What the timing after a shower can tell you
Use the sequence of events to frame useful checks.
Before a concrete floor is opened
The access location needs evidence and a construction plan.
A thermal image is a clue
Understand what a surface temperature view can show.
Where tracer gas fits in an investigation
A tracing option selected for a suitable system and question.
Listening with a purpose
Acoustic checks are most useful when their limits are understood.
Why a smaller test boundary helps
A whole system may hide the section that needs attention.
Persistent wet ground: details worth noting
Weather, drainage and private supply routes all provide context.
A supply leak beneath a driveway
Plan around both the hidden route and the finished surface.
Coordinating a leak between flats
The right people and access points make a more useful visit.
When the supply serves several properties
Define the instruction before interpreting the readings.
A water-company leak notice: what to gather
Bring the notice into the investigation from the start.
A higher bill needs a closer reading
Price, estimated readings and real consumption are different clues.
Access is included. Finishes need a plan.
Keep the repair boundary clear before work starts.
The checks after the repair
A completed joint should be followed by suitable verification.
Keeping the repair and warranty together
The package includes a 12-month workmanship warranty.
Reading the Trace & Access report
Look for a clear line from the concern to the completed work.
Questions for your insurer
Clarify requirements before you commit to the work.
The £1,700 package, unpacked
One agreed residential scope with the payment split stated clearly.
A useful diary for an intermittent leak
Record the conditions without trying to diagnose them.
After renovation: build a clear history
Plans and installation photographs can explain concealed routes.
Planning access in an older property
Make sensitive construction part of the discussion early.
A useful commercial investigation brief
Define the system and operating constraints before quoting.
A cold area on a heated floor
Temperature differences need system context.
Questions that make a quote clearer
Compare the scope as well as the headline price.
One moisture reading is not the whole picture
Compare materials, locations and the history.
If water is escaping now
Deal with immediate hazards before a routine enquiry.