Emergency plumber or leak detection specialist: which do you need?
Leak detection locates hidden water leaks that a plumber cannot see, and ADI Leak Detection Sheffield carries it out across Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
Non-invasive leak detection
Acoustic, thermal and tracer gas
Trace and access claim reports
Do I need an emergency plumber or a leak detection specialist?
A burst pipe needs an emergency plumber. A leak you cannot see needs finding first, and that is a leak detection job.
ADI Leak Detection Sheffield finds hidden and hard-to-find water leaks with detection equipment and a planned investigation. We do not run a general emergency plumbing service.
The quickest way to decide is whether you can see where the water is escaping.
If a pipe has burst and water is pouring out, you need an emergency plumber who can come quickly, isolate the water supply and make an immediate repair.
If your boiler keeps losing pressure, you have damp patches nobody can explain or you suspect a leak under the floor, the leak needs finding before anything is opened up.
| Type of problem | Who should you contact? |
|---|---|
| Burst water pipe with water actively escaping | Emergency plumber |
| Water pouring through a ceiling | Emergency plumber |
| Flooding or a large escape of water | Emergency plumber |
| Visible leaking tap or radiator valve | Plumber |
| Boiler repeatedly losing pressure | Heating engineer first, then a leak detection company |
| Suspected leak beneath a concrete floor | Leak detection company |
| Damp patches on walls or floors with no obvious cause | Leak detection company |
| Water meter showing unexplained consumption | Leak detection company |
| Hidden leak that earlier plumbers have not found | Leak detection company |
| Suspected underground water pipe leak | Leak detection company |
An emergency plumber deals with water that is escaping now. A leak detection company finds the leaks nobody can see.
When should you call an emergency plumber?
Call an emergency plumber when water is escaping fast and something has to be done straight away, for example:
- A burst pipe causing flooding.
- Water escaping from a visibly damaged pipe.
- A major leak from a radiator or plumbing connection.
- Water coming through a ceiling.
- A failed plumbing connection causing serious water damage.
The priority then is to stop the water and limit the damage.
If it is safe to do so, turn the water off at the stopcock. If water is near a light fitting or socket, turn that circuit off at the consumer unit.
When you can already see where the water is coming from, leak detection equipment adds nothing. You need someone who can get the situation under control and make the repair.
When do you need a leak detection company?
A hidden leak can run for weeks or months without anyone knowing where the water is going. It can sit under a concrete floor, behind a wall, under floorboards or in buried heating and water supply pipework.
These are the common signs of a hidden leak:
1. Your boiler keeps losing pressure
If you keep topping up your central heating boiler because the pressure keeps dropping, water may be escaping somewhere in the heating system.
It could be a radiator connection, a buried heating pipe, underfloor heating pipework or the boiler itself.
A heating engineer can check the expansion vessel and the pressure relief valve. If they are fine, leak detection finds the pipe that is losing water.
2. Damp patches with no obvious cause
Damp on a wall, ceiling or floor is often the first sign of a hidden water leak.
The leak can be some distance from the damp, so the patch on its own does not show where it is.
3. Your water meter shows unexplained water consumption
If the meter keeps moving with every tap and appliance off, the leak is probably on your water supply pipe.
A leak detection survey confirms whether the supply pipe is losing water, and where.
4. You suspect a leak beneath a concrete floor
Leaks under solid floors are among the hardest to find.
Water can travel under the floor before it shows, so a damp patch may be well away from the leaking pipe. Finding the exact point first means the floor is opened once, in the right place.
5. Earlier plumbing investigations have not found the leak
A plumber can sometimes confirm there is a leak without being able to say where it is.
Most of these are ordinary leaks that need detection equipment a plumber does not carry. A leak detection survey finds the source before any repair work begins.
Why don't we offer a 24/7 emergency leak detection service?
People often ask whether we run a 24-hour emergency leak detection service. We do not, because finding a hidden leak and stopping a burst pipe are two different jobs.
Our work is finding the leaks nobody can see: buried central heating leaks, underground water pipe leaks, leaks under concrete floors and water loss with no obvious cause.
That is planned work with detection equipment, so we work Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm.
If a pipe has burst and water is pouring into your property, you need an emergency plumber to stop it first. When you can already see where a leak is, there is little reason to book a leak detection survey to find it.
How does leak detection work?
The method depends on the pipe, the floor and where the water is going. A leak detection survey can use:
- Thermal imaging: shows the temperature differences left by escaping hot water or a leaking heating pipe.
- Acoustic leak detection: listening equipment picks up the sound of water escaping under pressure.
- Tracer gas detection: a tracer gas mixture is introduced into suitable pipework, and the escaping tracer gas is detected at the leak location.
- Moisture detection: meters measure how far the damp has spread.
- Pressure testing: shows whether a pipe is holding pressure, and so whether it is leaking.
The engineer chooses the methods to suit the pipework and the property. The aim is to open the floor or wall once, in the right place.
Why choose a leak detection company?
ADI Leak Detection was named Water Leak Detection Service of the Year at the Corporate Livewire Prestige Awards in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2026.
When a leak is hidden, knowing exactly where it is matters as much as the repair. With a leak detection company:
- The engineer marks the leak before anything is opened.
- You get a written report with photographs and video for your insurer.
- The repair goes in the right place, without exploratory digging.
What do people ask about emergency leak detection?
Do you offer 24-hour emergency leak detection?
No. We find hidden leaks Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm, and we do not run a 24-hour emergency plumbing service.
For a burst pipe, a large escape of water or flooding, call an emergency plumber.
If you suspect a hidden leak, we can arrange a leak detection survey.
What is the difference between a plumber and a leak detection specialist?
A plumber installs, maintains and repairs plumbing and heating systems.
A leak detection specialist finds where a leak is, especially when nobody can see or reach the source.
Some plumbing and heating engineers also do leak detection, but the two jobs use different equipment and different methods.
My boiler keeps losing pressure. Do I need leak detection?
Not always.
A boiler that keeps losing pressure can have a buried heating pipe leak, but it can also have a faulty expansion vessel or pressure relief valve.
Ask a heating engineer to check the expansion vessel and pressure relief valve first. If they are fine, the water is probably escaping from a hidden pipe, and that is when to book leak detection.
Can you find leaks beneath concrete floors?
Yes. Leak detection finds the leak under a concrete floor before the floor is broken up.
The method depends on the pipework, how the floor is built and the kind of leak.
Should I wait for a leak detection appointment if water is pouring out?
No. If water is escaping fast, call an emergency plumber straight away.
Stop the water and limit the damage first. Leak detection comes afterwards, if the source still needs finding.
How quickly can you arrange a leak detection investigation?
Call 0114 419 0306 and the advisor will offer you the dates an engineer has free.
Tell the advisor what you can see, and they will say whether leak detection is the right service.
How do you book a leak detection survey in Sheffield?
If you suspect a hidden leak, keep topping up your boiler, or have damp or water loss nobody can explain, we can find it.
The line is open Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm, or send the form and an advisor will call you back.
