Leak detection cost guide

If you suspect that you have a water leak in your home, you'll want to find it straight away. Some leaks can go unnoticed for months or even years, only making themselves known once they've caused a lot of damage. Leak detection can help you find leaks before they cause too much damage – but how much does it cost?

How much does it cost to have a leak detected?

How much it costs to have a leak detected depends on the type of leak detection you need and your plumber's hourly rate. HaMuch has a huge database of hourly and daily rates for plumbers based on location, so take a look at those rates further down the page to find your area – but these are the average leak detection costs in the UK:

Before you go ahead with leak detection, make sure you check your home insurance. Many home insurance policies now include ‘trace and access’, which refers to finding and exposing a water leak so it can be repaired. Some insurance companies may arrange leak detection for you, while others will ask you to arrange it yourself and claim the cost back.

Most home insurance policies won't cover the repair of the leak, but you can buy plumbing and drainage cover separately.

How does leak detection work?

Leak detection works by using specialist equipment to find leaks that might be hiding under floors or behind walls. Common ways of detecting leaks include acoustic listening equipment, infrared cameras and tracer gas. Tracer gas is one of the most common methods, as it's non-invasive and easy for a specialist to set up.

Narrowing down the search

First, the plumber will ask you some questions to try to narrow down an area to search for a leak. If you have them, it's useful but not necessary to show plans of your home's pipework.

Common things you might notice if you have a leak are damp patches on walls, ceilings or floors and you may even be able to hear a faint running sound from pipes, like when your central heating is on or you’re running a tap. Let your plumber know of any signs you’ve noticed.

Injecting the gas

Next, the plumber will turn off your water supply and inject gas into your pipework, often via your kitchen or bathroom tap. This gas is typically made up of 5% hydrogen and 95% nitrogen. Once the gas has moved through your pipework, the plumber will try to trace it.

Tracing the leak

Your plumber will use a tracer device, often called a sniffer, to try to locate your leak. This device usually attaches to a pole and a monitoring device that will give readings.

They will start in the area that’s most likely to have a leak, but they will try to follow your pipework to check the entire length. If you have a leak on the pipework, the injected gas will leak out of any holes in the pipe. A sniffer device is designed to detect hydrogen, even in very small amounts, so it can detect the tiniest of leaks.

Hydrogen particles are miniscule, so they can travel through materials like wood and concrete, meaning that if your pipes are underground the sniffer will still be able to detect leaks through your flooring. Sniffer devices usually make a beeping sound that intensifies as it gets closer to the source of the leak, helping the specialist to pinpoint the exact location.

Accessing the leak

Once the plumber is sure that they have found the source of your leak, they will try to access it. This could involve removing plasterboard or floor coverings and drilling down into concrete to expose the pipe. They will continue to use the sniffer to help them ensure they’re still in the right place, until they find the leaking pipe.

Repairing the leak

Once the leak detection specialist has exposed the leak, it’s unlikely that they will repair it. Since the leak could start to cause more damage to your home once it’s exposed, it’s a good idea to have a plumber on standby to come and repair it. Alternatively, you could contact an emergency plumber – but this will be more expensive.

How do water companies detect leaks?

Water companies generally detect leaks by automatically monitoring your water meter readings. If they detect that your home is constantly using water throughout the day, they will probably write to you letting you know that they think you have a leak.

For leaks of a certain size, they will require you to have it found and fixed within a certain time frame, because they have a responsibility to prevent water from being wasted. It's important to let your water company know when you have had a water leak fixed, as they may be able to give you a credit on your bill to make up for the lost water if you tell them in a timely fashion.

How do I know if my underground water line is leaking?

The easiest way to tell whether your underground water line is leaking requires you to have a water meter. If you do, turn your internal stopcock off – you'll usually find it under your kitchen sink. This will turn off the water supply to your taps, toilet and any other appliances in your home, but your underground mains supply will still be on.

Head to your water meter. If it's a digital one, you should see an array of numbers on a screen, like on your electricity meter. When water is being used, you’ll see a plus ‘+’ sign flashing under the numbers. If you don’t see the plus sign and the numbers don’t move for 30 minutes or more, it’s likely that your leak is coming from something inside your house, like a toilet or tap. But if you see this plus sign, or you notice the numbers going up, there’s a leak on your underground water line.

Once you’ve determined that your leak is on your water supply, it’s time to get in touch with your insurance company or a leak detection company, so you can find and access the leak before it causes any damage.

Leak detection can be expensive if it’s not covered by your insurance policy, so make sure you get a range of quotes to get the best price. Post your job on HaMuch now to get in touch with qualified plumbers in your area that are available to help.

Estimates for common plumber jobs;

Rates for other trades