Internal Cold Mains Leak Detection in Buckingham

Symptoms

Water had been appearing on the kitchen floor at a property in MK17, and visible damage had developed on walls in the kitchen and lounge. The extent of the spread suggested water had been tracking beneath the floor for some time before becoming visible at the surface.

Internal leak detection was required to establish the source and extent of the problem before any remedial work could begin.

Methods Used

The investigation began with a damp meter survey, which confirmed moisture not only under the kitchen and utility tiled floor but also extending beneath the conservatory floor — indicating the water had spread considerably. Pressure testing isolated the fault to the internal cold water supply pipework.

From there, the internal leak detection process moved to thermal imaging to map the pipework routing under the kitchen floor, followed by the introduction of trace gas into the pipework. Tracing equipment detected escaping gas beneath the kitchen floor, and acoustic equipment was then used to pinpoint the specific section of pipework where the leak was present.

Investigation Process

1. 1
   Initial Assessment

   On arrival, water was visible on the kitchen floor. A damp meter survey confirmed moisture beneath the kitchen and utility tiled floors and under the conservatory floor, with visible water damage present in the kitchen and lounge.

2. 2
   Water Meter Check

   The water meter was checked and found to be continuously registering flow with no water in use, confirming an active leak on the supply.

3. 3
   Pressure Testing

   Pressure testing was carried out on the internal pipework and established that the leak was on the internal cold water supply pipework.

4. 4
   Thermal Imaging

   Thermal imaging was used to identify the route of the copper pipework running beneath the kitchen floor, providing a reference for the trace gas survey.

5. 5
   Trace Gas Survey

   Trace gas was introduced to the cold water supply pipework and tracing equipment detected escaping gas beneath the kitchen floor, indicating the leak location.

6. 6
   Acoustic Pinpointing

   Acoustic equipment was used to identify the precise run of pipework where the leak was present, minimising the area of floor requiring excavation.

7. 7
   Excavation and Leak Found

   Kitchen floor tiles were removed and the concrete substrate was excavated. The leak was found on a section of 22mm copper pipework that had sustained damage.

8. 8
   Repair Completed

   A new section of 22mm copper pipework was soldered in with new fittings, reinstating the cold water supply.

Result & Outcome

Excavation beneath the kitchen floor revealed a damaged section of 22mm copper pipework on the internal cold water supply. The combination of trace gas detection and acoustic correlation had directed the dig to the correct location, and the fault was confirmed on exposure. A new section of 22mm copper was soldered in with new fittings, restoring the integrity of the supply pipework.