A hidden leak is annoying because it messes with your head. You’re staring at a damp patch thinking:
“Is it me? Is it the weather? Am I imagining it?”
Nine times out of ten there’s a pattern — it shows after showers, after the heating has been on, or you spot the water meter creeping
when no one’s using anything. This page gives you the quick tests we tell people over the phone, plus the common leak spots we keep seeing in London homes.
If you’ve got a damp patch growing and you’re around East London, call 07727 154746 — we’ll tell you whether you can safely wait or whether you should shut off now.
If you’ve got a water meter, this is the quickest way to confirm whether water is escaping somewhere. It’s not “high tech” — but it cuts through guessing.
Small reality check: sometimes a tiny move is just settling — but if it consistently creeps, that’s when we take it seriously.
If you’re topping up pressure every few days, don’t keep doing it forever — it hides the problem. Use this page for the boiler-specific version: why boilers leak from underneath.
If you’re seeing damp in walls/skirting alongside the meter creeping, start here as your main reference: our damp-and-leak detection pillar page.
Flexi tails, trap joints, isolation valves. People wipe the cupboard dry and think it’s gone — then it leaks only when the tap is used.
A slow weep from the fill valve or a dodgy pan connector can soak flooring quietly. You’ll often smell it before you see it.
If damp shows after showers, don’t assume it’s “bad ventilation”. It’s often a waste, trap, or seal letting a little water escape every use.
A tiny leak at a valve can look like nothing — until it stains the carpet edge or swells skirting.
In flats, the leak can be one level above. In houses, it can be a bathroom above a hallway. If you’re seeing tide marks or bubbling paint, use the ceiling-specific guide: ceiling leak signs and safe next steps.
A lot of “boiler leaks” are actually pipe joints in the same cupboard. It all ends up on the same floor, so it’s easy to blame the boiler.
A hidden leak is one of those things where it’s easy to spend three evenings “checking everything” and still get nowhere. If any of these are happening, it’s worth calling:
If you’ve got an active leak right now and you just need the immediate steps, use this quick guide: first actions when a leak starts.
Hidden leaks don’t usually announce themselves. They just quietly damage plaster, timber and flooring until the repair bill jumps. Call 07727 154746 and we’ll help you work out the next step. Same-day is possible depending on where you are.