Water leak detection and repair in Elche
A stain on your neighbour's ceiling, a water bill that suddenly doubles or a meter that keeps turning with every tap closed. We trace where the water is escaping and repair the pipe, opening up only where necessary.
Signs of a hidden leak
- Damp patches or bubbling paint on walls and ceilings
- Loose or hollow-sounding tiles around the shower
- The water meter keeps turning with every tap off
- Your Aigües d'Elx water bill goes up for no reason
- The pressure pump switches on by itself every few minutes
- A musty smell in a wardrobe or behind a skirting board
- The neighbour downstairs tells you about a drip
How we find it
A leak rarely appears exactly where the stain is. Water runs along floors, pipes and joints and can show up a metre away or on another floor.
We start simple: closing valves zone by zone and watching the meter to know whether the loss is in cold water, hot water or a waste pipe. Then we pressure-test the pipework section by section until we narrow down the point where water is lost.
That way we open a small hole, not half the kitchen. We repair the damaged section and, if you like, leave the area ready for the tiler or painter.
A real job: burst pipe under the floor
The meter would not stop and there was no visible stain. The leak was in the water pipe running under the floor. We opened only at the marked point, replaced the section and pressure-tested it before closing up.
A quick test you can do
- Turn off every tap and make sure the washing machine, dishwasher and cistern are not filling.
- Note the meter reading or take a photo of it.
- Wait an hour without using any water and check again.
- If it has moved, there is a leak. Close your main stopcock: if the meter stops, the leak is inside your home; if it keeps going, it is between the meter and your stopcock.
For the toilet: put a few drops of food colouring in the cistern. If colour appears in the bowl without flushing, the cistern is leaking.
Leaks we repair
- Water pipes buried in walls and floors
- Leaks at the incoming supply and by the meter
- Shower trays and baths leaking into the flat below
- Waste pipes and soil stacks leaking inside walls
- Dripping hoses, stopcocks and valves
- Buried pipes for the garden, pool or water tank
Typical leaks in homes around Elche
Holiday homes left empty. In Arenales del Sol, El Altet and Gran Alacant a burst hose in an empty apartment can run for days. If you leave the property for months, turn off the main stopcock and ask us to check hoses and valves before you go.
Salt air. On the coast, flexible hoses and brass fittings corrode faster. Green or white crust on a fitting is a warning sign.
Shower trays that leak downstairs. In bathrooms renovated without proper waterproofing, water gets through the tray seal or the grout lines into the floor slab. It is the most common reason for stains on the ceiling below.
Buried pipes at villas and country houses. The pipe from the meter or water tank to the house can be tens of metres long. A leak there is invisible but makes the pump run on its own or empties the tank early.
Old galvanised pipes in town. In 1960s–70s blocks in Carrús, El Pla or Altabix, rusty pipes develop pinholes. When leaks keep coming back, replacing the pipework is the real fix.
What affects the price
- Whether the leak is visible or needs tracing
- Where the pipe is: in a wall, under the floor, in the ceiling or buried in the garden
- Pipe material: copper, galvanised, multilayer or PPR
- What has to be opened and reinstated: tiles, terrazzo, false ceiling
You get the price for tracing and repair before we start.
Leaks and home insurance in Spain
Many Spanish home policies cover finding and repairing leaks and the damage caused to the neighbour. Our invoice states the cause, where the leak was and what we did, with photos if you need them.
If the insurer sends its own assessor (perito), we can explain in Spanish what we found, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Water leaks: FAQ
Is the leak mine or my upstairs neighbour's?
Do the meter test: if your meter moves with everything closed, the leak is in your installation. If it does not and you have a ceiling stain, it most likely comes from above. We can check both homes.
Do you have to break a lot to find the leak?
No. We narrow it down with the meter and section-by-section pressure tests and open only at the fault, normally a small hole.
I am abroad and the neighbour says water is coming through. What should I do?
Ask your neighbour or key holder to close the main stopcock if they can, and send us their contact. We go in, stop the leak, repair it and send you photos and the invoice.
Do you trace leaks in Santa Pola and Gran Alacant?
Yes, as well as Elche, Arenales del Sol, El Altet, Torrellano, Crevillent, Aspe and Novelda. See Santa Pola and Gran Alacant.
My villa's water tank empties too fast. Could it be a leak?
Quite often, yes: a buried pipe losing water or a float valve that does not close properly. We check it section by section. See pumps and water tanks.
Think you have a leak?
Call us or send a photo of the damp patch on WhatsApp.