Water Leaks in Perivale
Most underground water leaks never show on the surface. The signs are a spinning meter, a hissing stopcock, unexplained damp, a lusher strip of grass along the pipe run, a combi boiler that keeps needing topping up, or a bill that jumped. Finding them is a skill; fixing them is routine.
The two-minute leak test
Turn off every tap and appliance, then watch the meter. Movement with everything off means water is escaping somewhere between the meter and your taps — usually the underground supply pipe.
Who pays for what
Leaks on the supply pipe (boundary to house) are the owner's; leaks on the company's side are theirs to fix free. Many companies also repair or contribute to a first supply-pipe leak — ask before assuming; contact details are below.
Reading your meter
Find the meter (boundary box in the path, or under the sink), note the black-and-red digits, and look for the small spinning disc — the leak indicator. For a proper test: take a reading last thing, use no water overnight, read again. Any movement is a leak, and the litres tell you the size: a steady 1-litre-a-minute weep is 1,400+ litres a day on your bill.
Three kinds of leak, three different jobs
Identifying the type correctly saves a visit: supply pipe (meter spins with everything off) — post it here under leak detection; internal plumbing (visible drips, damp under fixtures) — general plumbing; heating circuit (boiler pressure keeps falling, meter still) — a heating engineer with the same detection kit. The symptoms sort them in minutes.
Who to call, in what order
The most efficient sequence: first the overnight meter test — it splits supply-pipe leaks from everything else in one evening. Meter moving? Post a leak-detection job here. Meter still but the boiler keeps dropping pressure? Heating engineer. Visible drips indoors? Plumber. Wet in the road or at the boundary box? The water company, free. And if damage is already done, ring the insurer’s claim line early — the trace-and-access cover most buildings policies carry pays for the finding, and insurers generally prefer funding detection to paying repeat damage claims.
Get quotes for water leaks in Perivale
Local water facts for Perivale
Water supply: Thames Water · www.thameswater.co.uk · 0800 316 9800
Wastewater & sewers: Thames Water
Postcode districts covered: UB6
Water hardness: Hard (High limescale risk). Scale from hard water builds up inside supply pipework and appliances over time, which is worth knowing when repairing or replacing pipe.
Most properties in Perivale are supplied by Thames Water, although this can vary by postcode. Water hardness in Perivale is typically Hard (High limescale risk). Common local postcode districts include UB6 and nearby districts.
Who owns which pipe in Perivale: the supply pipe from the boundary stopcock into the property belongs to the property owner; the water main in the road and the communication pipe up to the boundary belong to Thames Water. Contractors on WaterTrust handle the private side — for a fault on the company's side, report it to Thames Water instead of paying anyone.
Common questions
How do professionals find a hidden leak?
Acoustic listening, tracer gas and correlators locate the leak point precisely — so the repair is one small hole, not an exploratory trench.
Will my bill be reduced after a leak?
Metered customers can usually claim a leak allowance for water lost to a genuine supply pipe leak, once fixed. Ask the company when you report it.
Is a dripping overflow the same job?
No — visible internal leaks are general plumbing. This page is about the hidden underground kind; post what you can see and contractors will steer it.
Will a smart meter catch it for me?
Often — companies increasingly flag continuous night-time flow and write to you. Treat that letter as an early warning worth acting on.
How urgent is a small leak?
Underground leaks get worse over time: escaping water undermines pipe bedding and can reach foundations. Deal with it within the month, not within the year.
Who is responsible for this work in Perivale?
The supply pipe from the boundary stopcock into the property belongs to the property owner; the water main in the road and the communication pipe up to the boundary belong to Thames Water. Contractors on WaterTrust handle the private side — for a fault on the company's side, report it to Thames Water instead of paying anyone.
How do quotes work on WaterTrust?
You post the job once, free, with no account needed. Up to 4 vetted contractors covering Perivale and the wider UB6 area contact you with quotes — you are never charged. You deal with the contractor directly — WaterTrust makes the introduction; it never resells or subcontracts your job.
Ready to get quotes?
Post the job free in about a minute. Up to 4 vetted contractors reply with quotes — no obligation.
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