Wall damage in two rooms traced to one hidden pipe
Damp kitchen and bedroom walls led to a failed pressure test. ADI traced the hidden pipework through boxing, opened the kitchen wall and repaired a leaking copper pipe.
Read the case
Concealed
leak detection
Damp that keeps returning, wet flooring or a boiler losing pressure? Investigate the hidden pipework and understand where access may be needed.
Call 0333 567 2641
England, Scotland and Wales. Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm. Calls go to ADI Leak Detection’s office.
4.7 Excellent on Trustpilot from 1,620 reviews of ADI Leak Detection
- 25+ engineers across England, Scotland and Wales
- Finding leaks since 2011 as ADI Leak Detection
- A written report with photos you can send to your insurer
- Trade memberships CIPHE, WIAPS, WaterSafe and SPATA
Make sense of the signs before opening a surface
The first mark may be away from the failed pipe. Gather the clues, understand the investigation and plan what follows.
Why is the damp appearing here?
Follow the relationship between the stain, the hidden route and the affected rooms.
Understand how damp spreadsWhat might need opening?
Separate the investigation, pipe repair, drying and restoration of your finishes.
Plan access and repairsWhat should I have ready?
Prepare the observations and access information, then make sense of the findings.
Prepare for the surveyHow we find a leak you cannot see
- 1
Work out what is leaking
The engineer checks the symptoms, accessible fittings and pipework. Pressure tests and isolation help establish whether the problem is on the water supply, heating or another system.
- 2
Trace it through the surface
Moisture readings and thermal images help map the affected area. Acoustic listening or tracer gas can then narrow the search along concealed pipework. The tests depend on your property.
- 3
Agree where to gain access
The engineer compares the findings before recommending an access point. You are told what needs opening and what repair is possible, with a written record of the investigation.
Different clues need different tests
Water can travel away from a damaged pipe before it appears. Engineers compare the findings from suitable tests before recommending where to gain access.
See the equipment and its limits- Moisture mapping
- Compare readings across walls and floors to understand how far the water has travelled.
- Thermal imaging
- Look for surface temperature patterns that help trace hidden pipes and affected areas.
- Pressure testing
- Isolate suitable pipe sections to establish which part of the system is losing pressure.
- Tracer gas
- Search for test gas escaping from suitable isolated pipework beneath a surface.
- Acoustic listening
- Compare the sound from a pressurised leak along the concealed pipe route.
- Inspection cameras
- Look inside an accessible void through an existing opening or an agreed small hole.
The equipment on real jobs
Photographs from ADI engineers’ investigations.
1 / 6 Thermal camera
Tracing warm pipe routes beneath a kitchen floor in Exeter.
2 / 6 Moisture meter
Checking moisture across a utility-room floor in March.
3 / 6 Tracer gas probe
Testing for tracer gas beside a tiled bathroom wall in Billingshurst.
4 / 6 Inspection camera
Looking at a pipe connection inside a confined space in Southampton.
5 / 6 Contact microphone
Listening through a floor with a microphone and handheld amplifier.
6 / 6 Listening stick
A contact probe, amplifier and headphones ready to check pipework.
Where concealed leaks can hide
The visible damp may be some distance from the damaged pipe. The investigation follows the evidence back towards its source.
| Leak | First clues | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Behind a wall or bathroom tiles | Damp or staining | Moisture mapping helps trace the spread. Thermal imaging and a small inspection camera can help where the pipework is hidden. |
| Beneath a concrete or tiled floor | Damp flooring | Pressure testing checks the pipework; acoustic listening and tracer gas can help narrow down the position. |
| Concealed central heating pipework | Pressure falling | The boiler and visible components are checked as well as the pipework. A falling gauge alone does not prove a buried leak. |
| Under a driveway, path or garden | Meter moving | Once normal water use is ruled out, the supply pipe can be tested and traced from accessible points. |
| A ceiling below a bathroom | An expanding stain | The engineer considers plumbing, waste pipes and seals. Water may have travelled before reaching the ceiling. |
| Underfloor heating circuits | Regular topping up | Individual loops may need isolating and pressure testing. Thermal patterns and tracer gas help guide the search. |
Hidden leaks found on real ADI jobs
A kitchen wall leak found near the ceiling
Water damage in the kitchen accompanied a separate basin leak after bathroom renovation. Moisture readings and an endoscope helped locate a copper pipe fault within the kitchen wall.
Read the case
Damp at the WC doorway led back to the hallway
Thermal, tracer gas and acoustic checks did not identify this leak. Following moisture through the screed led to a split copper bend beneath the hallway floor.
Read the case
What customers say about finding their leaks
“…behind a plasterboard wall with no obvious evidence that the leak was there.”
4.7 Excellent on Trustpilot from 1,620 reviews of ADI Leak Detection
Read the customer reviews“And showed me the faulty pipe joint, hidden under two layers of planking!”
“…narrowed the search down to a tiny area and did minimal damage to our new bathroom in fixing the leak.”
Common questions about concealed leaks
More answers about the method and the visit.
Can a concealed leak be found without damaging the floor or wall?
Many checks can be made from the surface or at accessible fittings. The aim is to reduce exploratory opening, but an inspection hole may still be needed and repairing a concealed pipe usually requires access. The engineer should discuss proposed access before work begins.
Can a leak on a concealed plastic pipe be found?
Plastic pipe can be investigated, although it carries leak noise less well than many metal pipes. Testing individual sections, tracing the route and using tracer gas or other suitable methods can help. Access and the construction around the pipe affect what is possible.
Does boiler pressure loss mean there is a hidden leak?
It can, but visible radiator valves, boiler components and a pressure relief discharge can also cause pressure loss. Those checks help decide whether the concealed heating pipework needs testing. Pressure loss on its own does not establish the location.
Why use more than one leak detection method?
Moisture can spread away from a leak, sound can travel along pipes, and tracer gas can emerge through an easier path in the floor. Comparing test results helps the engineer interpret those clues and select an area to investigate.
Can ADI repair the leak too?
On many of the real jobs shown here, ADI opened the identified area, repaired the damaged pipe and tested it afterwards. What can be done depends on the pipe, access and the work required. Discuss repair and reinstatement when you call.
Will I get a report for my insurer?
ADI provides a report of the tests and findings, with photographs, which you can share with your insurer. Check any requirements with your insurer before authorising work; a report does not establish that your policy covers the cost.
About ADI Leak Detection
Concealed Leak Detection, a specialist service from ADI Leak Detection. When you call, ADI’s office team answers, and an ADI engineer carries out the survey. ADI Leak Detection has been finding hidden leaks since 2011 and has 25+ engineers covering England, Scotland and Wales.
ADI Leak Detection is a trading name of ADI Leak Solutions Ltd, company number 15870765.
About the service