Leak Detection and Burst Pipe Repair in Manchester
From a damp patch on the ceiling to a pipe that has split in the loft, we find the source, stop it and repair it properly, and you know the cost before we start.
- Price agreed before we start
- Thermal imaging on the van
- An invoice your insurer understands
Source locatedLeaks found and fixed, not patched
A leak is a plumbing problem that becomes a building problem if it is left. The water that drips through a Chorlton terrace ceiling has usually been running under the bathroom floor for weeks, and by the time it shows, the joists are wet. Our job is to find the source quickly, stop it, repair it properly and leave you with an invoice that tells the insurer what happened.
If water is escaping now and you cannot stop it, this is an emergency: call 07343 065023 and our emergency plumber is on the way within 60 minutes at any hour. Our guide to what to do when a pipe bursts covers the stopcock and the first ten minutes.
The leaks we see most in Manchester homes
Slow weeps at compression joints under baths and basins. Pinholes in old copper where it was buried in a screed. Radiator valves and towel rail unions that let go when the heating comes back on in October. Lead supply pipes in Victorian terraces that have finally corroded through. Frost-split pipes in the lofts of 1930s semis in Heaton Moor and Sale. Failed flexible tails under kitchen sinks in Ancoats apartments, which take out the flat below as well. And boiler pressure that keeps falling with no visible leak, which is usually a pipe under the floor.
A dripping tap is a smaller matter and often one you can sort yourself; our guide to how to stop a leaking tap explains how. If the tap needs a new cartridge or replacing altogether, our taps and toilets team handles that at the standard rate.
How we trace a hidden leak
We use the evidence before the tools. The water meter with every outlet closed tells us whether the supply side is losing water. The boiler gauge tells us whether the heating circuit is. The pattern and timing of the staining points to the room above. Then thermal imaging and a moisture meter narrow it to a metre or so, and acoustic listening confirms it on a pressurised pipe. Floorboards come up only when we know what is under them. Every step is explained as we go, and the price for the repair is agreed before we start it. Everything else we do is on the plumbing hub.
Signs of a hidden leak
Any two of these together are worth a call before it becomes a ceiling on the floor.
Find the stopcock first. I will wait on the line.
Cameras and meters before crowbars.
Fixed, refilled, and watched under pressure.
Photos and an invoice your insurer understands.
From first call to dry ceiling
Winter in a Manchester loft
The tank and pipework above an uninsulated loft hatch are the most common cause of a Boxing Day callout. Copper freezes, expands and splits along the seam, and nothing shows until the thaw. If you have an older semi in Didsbury, Sale or Cheadle with a cold-water tank in the roof, a pre-winter visit to lag the pipes, check the tank jacket and fit an isolation valve on the outside tap is a small job that avoids a large one.
Leak repair rates
Daytime figures for planned visits. Emergency callouts are priced on the emergency page.
- 01Leak tracing visit, standard hoursFrom£95First hour including thermal imaging and moisture readings
- 02Burst pipe repair, accessible pipeworkFrom£120Section replaced, refilled and pressure tested
- 03Repair requiring floorboards or plaster removedQuoted after tracingWritten price before any opening up
Indicative placeholder — confirm against /pricing before publishing. Out-of-hours rates are higher than daytime rates and are confirmed before dispatch.
Full pricing and what is includedOther plumbing services
- Emergency Plumber24-hour emergency plumber for Manchester and Greater Manchester. Burst pipes, leaks, no water, overflowing toilets and failed boilers, with an engineer on the way within 60 minutes.within 60 minutes
- 02Blocked DrainsBlocked sinks, baths, toilets and outside drains cleared across Manchester, usually the same day. Rodding, high-pressure jetting and CCTV surveys for drains that keep blocking.
- 03Taps and ToiletsTap and toilet repairs across Manchester. Dripping and seized taps, cisterns that keep running, weak flushes, cracked pans and like-for-like replacements, done in a single daytime visit.
- 04Bathrooms and ShowersShower repair and bathroom plumber for Manchester homes. Showers not working, leaking baths, low pressure, thermostatic valves and like-for-like toilet or basin replacements, booked this week.
- 05Boiler and Hot WaterBoiler repair and hot water faults across Manchester. Gas Safe registered engineers for boilers that have stopped, lost pressure or run cold, plus cylinders, immersion heaters and pumps.
- 06Plumbing MaintenancePlanned plumbing maintenance for landlords, letting agents and businesses in Manchester. Scheduled checks, priority callouts, boiler servicing, gas safety records and one monthly invoice.
Ask me anythingQuestion 01 of 05Question 02 of 05Question 03 of 05Question 04 of 05Question 05 of 0501How do you find a leak you cannot see?
We start with the cheap checks: the water meter with everything off, the boiler pressure gauge, and the pattern of the staining. Then thermal imaging shows cold wet areas behind plaster and under floors, a moisture meter confirms them, and acoustic listening picks up a pressurised leak on a supply pipe. Most leaks in Manchester homes are traced in the first hour without lifting a floorboard.
02Is a brown stain on the ceiling always a plumbing leak?
Not always. It can be a bathroom above, a radiator valve, a failed shower tray seal, condensation on a cold pipe, or the roof. A stain that grows when someone showers points to the bathroom; one that grows when it rains points to the roof or gutters. If it is the roof we hand over to our roofing team rather than charge you for a plumber who cannot fix it.
03Can you repair a burst pipe the same day?
Almost always. The van carries copper, plastic pipe, compression and push-fit fittings in 15mm and 22mm, and repair couplings for the awkward spots. A split section is cut out and replaced, the system refilled and checked under pressure. Where a pipe is buried in a solid floor or a leak is on the incoming main under the garden, we make it safe on the day and quote the excavation or reroute in writing.
04Will my insurance cover the repair?
Most household policies cover the damage caused by an escape of water, such as ceilings, floors and decoration, and some include trace-and-access, which pays for finding the leak. The plumbing repair itself is usually excluded. Our invoice itemises the fault, the tracing work and the repair separately so your insurer has what they need. Check your policy wording or ask us and we will tell you what we normally see.
05How do I stop pipes bursting in winter?
Frost splits pipes in lofts, garages and outbuildings, especially the 1930s semis in Didsbury and Heaton Moor where the tank is above an uninsulated loft hatch. Lag exposed pipework, keep the heating on a low setting rather than off when you are away, isolate and drain outside taps, and know where the stopcock is. We offer a pre-winter check as part of plumbing maintenance.
Find the leak before it finds the ceiling
Transparent rates for tracing and repair, and a written price before we open anything up.
A damp patch that comes back after decorating is not a decorating problem. Let's find where it's coming from.
