A professional leak detection survey is non-invasive and usually takes a few hours. The engineer uses acoustic, thermal and tracer gas equipment to pinpoint the leak through your floors and walls, so little or nothing is opened up. You leave with the exact location and a written, insurance-ready report.
If you have never had a leak found before, it is natural to picture floors coming up and a lot of mess. A good survey is the opposite of that. The whole point is to locate the leak precisely so the disruption is tiny. Here is what actually happens, start to finish.
Before the visit
A few small things make the survey quicker and the result better:
- Make sure the engineer can reach your stopcock and water meter.
- Have a rough idea of where you have seen damp, heard water, or felt a warm or cold patch.
- Dig out a recent water bill if a high bill is what prompted the call.
- Clear access to the areas of concern, so floors and skirtings can be checked.
What happens on the day
The visit follows a simple order:
- A quick conversation. The engineer asks what you have noticed and when, then checks the meter and pressure to confirm water is escaping.
- Non-invasive detection. Using the equipment below, they narrow the leak down from a whole room to a specific spot, without lifting anything.
- Pinpointing. The methods are cross-checked so the location is confirmed, not guessed.
- Targeted access, only if needed. If the pipe has to be exposed, just the small area over the leak is opened, ready for repair.
The equipment we use
- Acoustic listening. Sensitive microphones pick up the sound of water escaping under pressure, even through concrete.
- Thermal imaging. A thermal camera reads heat patterns to spot warm-water leaks and the cool trail of an escape.
- Tracer gas. A safe gas mix is fed into the pipework and rises to the surface at the leak, where a detector finds it. Very precise on buried pipes.
- Moisture meters and cameras. These map where damp has spread and inspect voids and drains.
No single method suits every leak, which is why a survey combines them. You can read how we apply them on our water leak detection and trace and access pages.
The report you get
The survey is only useful if it ends in something you can act on. You should receive a written report that sets out where the leak is, what was found, and the work needed. That document does two jobs: it tells a plumber exactly where to make a targeted repair, and it is what your insurer expects for a trace and access claim. Our guide to what trace and access insurance covers explains how the claim side works, and the cost guide covers what you might pay if you are not claiming.
After the survey
With the leak located, the repair is quick and targeted. If you are claiming, you pass the report to your insurer. And if the survey finds no leak, that is still a useful result: it rules out the worst and points you at the real cause, whether that is a running toilet, a tariff change or higher usage. Our water leak guide can help you work through it.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a leak detection survey take?
Most home surveys take a few hours. A straightforward leak can be pinpointed in a single visit; a buried mains or under-slab leak can take longer. The aim is to leave you with a clear location and a written report the same day where possible.
Is leak detection messy or destructive?
A proper survey is non-invasive first. Acoustic, thermal and tracer gas methods find the leak through floors and walls, so if anything is opened at all, it is one small targeted area over the leak, not a whole room on guesswork.
What do I get at the end of the survey?
You get the location of the leak and a written report describing what was found and the work needed. That report is what your insurer expects to see for a trace and access claim, and what a plumber needs to make a targeted repair.
Do I need to be home for the survey?
Yes, ideally. Someone needs to give access, point out where the problem has shown up, and let the engineer reach the stopcock, meter and the areas of concern.
Ready to book a leak detection survey in Cornwall?
We find the leak with non-invasive kit and hand you a clear, insurance-ready report. Fast response across Cornwall, with minimal disruption to your home.