Leak Detection and Burst Pipes in Balbriggan
A damp patch, a water bill that jumped or a pipe that's gone. One local plumber who covers Balbriggan finds it and fixes it.
Free, no obligation. One local plumber prices it, not five.
What does it cost in Balbriggan?
Finding a hidden leak costs €380 for up to three hours. Fixing a leaking pipe is €230–€865, and a burst pipe €150–€2,000, most of it decided by whether the pipe is under the floor or inside a wall.
What to do first
- Turn off every tap, then look at the water meter, if you have one. If it's still turning, the leak is on your side.
- Look under sinks, behind the toilet, around the hot press and in the attic tank first. Most leaks are there.
- A damp patch on a ceiling under a bathroom is usually the shower tray seal or a waste pipe, not the water main.
- If you can hear water running with everything off, turn off the stopcock and ring.
What happens on the day
- The plumber tests the system to see whether it's the mains, the hot water or the heating that's losing water.
- A thermal camera shows warm pipes through floors and walls. Pressure tests find which run is losing water.
- They open up only where the leak is, fix the joint or replace the section, and pressure-test it again.
- Making good the floor or plaster is priced separately, so you know what's plumbing and what's building.
What can go wrong, and how a good plumber avoids it
Lifting a whole floor to find one joint
Find it first with the camera and pressure tests, then open up a small square.
A leak that comes back
Old pipe around a repair can be thin. A good plumber replaces the section, not just the joint.
Lead pipe left in
If they find lead pipe, they tell you. Replacing it is worth doing while the floor is up.
In Balbriggan
22% of homes in Balbriggan were built before 1981. Uisce Éireann says lead pipes were used in Irish homes up to and including the 1970s, so in an older house a leak can be on a lead supply pipe.
Send the job in four taps
Tell us what's wrong. It goes to one local plumber who covers Balbriggan, and they ring you about it.
Other jobs
Emergency plumberBurst pipes, leaks through the ceiling, no water at all.Emergency plumber in Balbriggan →
Blocked drainsSinks, toilets, showers, gullies and the drain outside.Blocked drains in Balbriggan →
Toilets, taps and showersRunning toilets, dripping taps, showers and pumps.Toilets, taps and showers in Balbriggan →
Hot water and immersionsNo hot water, immersion faults and cylinders.Hot water and immersions in Balbriggan →
Radiators and heatingCold radiators, leaks, pumps, valves and power flushing.Radiators and heating in Balbriggan →
Boiler service and repairYearly services, breakdowns and new boilers.Boiler service and repair in Balbriggan →Plumber guides & price breakdowns
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Leaks and burst pipes: questions
How do you find a leak without ripping the house apart?
A thermal camera shows warm pipes through floors and walls, and pressure tests show which pipe run is losing water. Then only a small area is opened.
Who pays for a leak on the pipe outside?
The pipe from the boundary into the house is yours. The main in the road and the pipe up to your boundary meter are Uisce Éireann's. Uisce Éireann runs a free first fix scheme for some leaks on the pipe outside the house.
Is a burst pipe covered by insurance?
The damage usually is. Finding and fixing the pipe often isn't, unless your policy has trace and access cover. Check before the work starts.
Why do pipes burst in winter?
Water expands as it freezes. Pipes in the attic, outside walls and garages are most at risk. Lag them, and leave the heating on low when you go away.
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