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Retail case studies.

Recent investigations at shops, cafés, restaurants and salons. Each one shows what was happening, how we investigated and what we found. Locations are given by postcode area, and customer details are left out.

  1. The shop floor opened up to expose the blue water supply pipe

    Shop

    PE20

    December 2023

    Shop water main: two leaks found and repaired

    What was happening
    Water was escaping from the external water supply to a shop.
    How we investigated
    Pressure testing to confirm the loss, tracer gas and acoustic listening to narrow it down, then a targeted excavation.
    What we found
    Two separate leak points on the supply pipe.
    What happened next
    We replaced the leaking section of main and the stopcock on the visit, and the pressure retest passed. Reinstating the floor was left for a return visit.
  2. An acoustic ground microphone on the paving outside the café, listening along the supply pipe

    Café

    BN2

    June 2025

    Café: leaking supply bypassed on the visit

    What was happening
    The water meter at a café kept moving with everything turned off. The supply is shared with a neighbouring pub’s outbuilding.
    How we investigated
    A meter and isolation survey to work out which part of the supply was losing water, acoustic listening along the pipe run, then a pressure retest.
    What we found
    A leaking section of the supply pipe.
    What happened next
    We bypassed the leaking section with a new internal pipe run on the visit, and the pressure retest passed.
  3. The old lead supply pipe exposed in a small excavation

    Shop

    PE8

    March 2026

    Shop on an old lead supply: five leaks found

    What was happening
    A mains leak had been reported on the supply to a shop, which shares its pipe with the property next door.
    How we investigated
    Pressure testing, then tracer gas to pinpoint the escapes, with a small targeted excavation to confirm them.
    What we found
    Five leaks on the old lead supply pipe.
    What happened next
    The water supply was restored, and we advised further investigation along the rest of the pipe route.
  4. A thermal camera showing a cold patch spreading across the salon ceiling

    Hairdresser

    N16

    April 2026

    Hairdresser: ceiling leak traced to the flat above

    What was happening
    Water damage was showing on the ceiling and walls of a hairdresser beneath residential flats.
    How we investigated
    Moisture mapping to see how far the water had spread, thermal imaging, and comparative dye tests on the plumbing upstairs.
    What we found
    A fractured bath-waste connection in the flat above.
    What happened next
    We recommended repairing the connection and drying out the affected ceiling and walls.
  5. A split in the flat roof covering, close up

    Shop

    WR11

    February 2026

    Shop under a flat roof: rain ingress located

    What was happening
    The ceiling and a wall inside a shop were wet, below a flat roof.
    How we investigated
    Moisture readings and a thermal survey inside, then staged flood testing on the roof, one section at a time.
    What we found
    The thermal survey showed no anomaly. The staged flood tests reproduced the leak at defects in the roof flashing and upstands.
    What happened next
    We recommended repairs to the flashing and upstands.
  6. Testing the washing machine in the flat above, with the water caught in a bag

    Restaurant

    BA1

    April 2026

    Restaurant: drips traced to appliances upstairs

    What was happening
    Water dripped into a restaurant whenever appliances in the flats above were being used.
    How we investigated
    Testing the upstairs appliances one at a time, with moisture readings, thermal imaging and an endoscope camera.
    What we found
    Leaks from a washing machine and a bath overflow in the flat above.
    What happened next
    We recommended replacing the faulty parts.
  7. Our pressure testing rig set up on the job, with two gauges

    Salon

    IP13

    February 2025

    Salon: rising water bill traced to a toilet valve

    What was happening
    A salon in a mixed-use building had a higher water bill and a meter that kept moving.
    How we investigated
    Meter checks and isolation to narrow down where the water was going, with pressure and tracer gas testing.
    What we found
    A faulty toilet float valve.
    What happened next
    We isolated the valve, the meter stopped and the retest passed. The permanent repair was left to the customer.
  8. A thermal camera tracing the warm line of a hidden pipe run

    Retail unit

    Hendon, NW9

    April 2026

    Retail unit in Hendon: ceiling drips traced upstairs

    What was happening
    Water was dripping through the ceiling of a retail unit below flats, on and off.
    How we investigated
    A moisture survey, thermal imaging to trace the pipe runs, and a visual inspection of the plumbing upstairs.
    What we found
    Leaks from a bath seal, a toilet flush pipe and a stopcock in the flats above.
    What happened next
    We advised repairs to each. One flat could not be accessed on the day.

Speak to the team about your leak.

One call gets a leak engineer moving. Our methods are non-invasive, so there is usually nothing to dig up, and you get a written report ready for your insurer.

Call 0333 567 2615

Engineers across England, Scotland and Wales. £5 million public liability insurance.