Leak repair in Soundwell

Finding the leak

Some leaks announce themselves. Others are slow and hidden, and the first sign is a stain on a ceiling or a floorboard that feels soft. Water also travels, so the place it appears is not always the place it is coming from.

If you have a water meter, there is a simple check. Turn off every tap and appliance that uses water, note the reading, and check it again after half an hour without using any water. If the reading has moved, water is escaping somewhere.

Leaks we fix most often

• Joints and fittings under sinks and basins
• Taps and valves with worn washers or seals
• Bath and shower seals, wastes and trays
• Toilet cisterns, flush valves and pan connectors
• Radiator valves and the pipes feeding them
• Pipes under floors and behind walls
• The supply pipe between the pavement and your home

Hidden leaks

If a leak is under a floor or behind tiles, we look for the least disruptive way in. That might be lifting a single floorboard or working from an access panel. We will explain what needs to come up before we touch it, and we make good the pipework, not the decorating, so you know where you stand.

Leaks on the supply pipe

The pipe that brings water into your home has two owners. Up to the stop tap in the pavement it belongs to the water company, so a leak there should be reported to Bristol Water. From that stop tap into your house, the supply pipe is usually your responsibility. In older homes this pipe can be lead, especially if the house was built before the 1970s, and a leak is often a good moment to think about replacing it.

Why fix a small leak?

A slow drip under a sink can rot a cabinet base, lift flooring and encourage mould long before it looks serious. Fixing it early is usually a smaller job than dealing with the damage later.