Water mains and underground supply pipe leaks
ADI investigates leaks on underground water mains serving care homes, from the incoming supply to the pipes that run between separate buildings and wings.
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Specialist care home leak detection services across the UK
ADI Leak Detection finds hidden water leaks in care homes across the UK using acoustic listening, thermal imaging and tracer gas, planning each visit around residents and staff.
A rising water bill, damp or staining, and a heating system that keeps losing pressure are the usual signs. Behind every care home door, there’s a daily routine worth protecting.
- Detecting hidden leaks since 2011
- Written findings with photographs
- WaterSafe approved contractor
- Non-invasive leak detection
- Visits planned around residents
- Reports for estates teams and insurers
Leak detection services for care homes and care facilities
ADI investigates leaks on the water mains, heating and hot water, bathrooms and wet rooms, roofs, hidden pipework and drains that serve care homes. Choose the area that matches what your staff have noticed.
Heating circuit and hot water pipework leaks
ADI investigates heating and hot water pipework in care homes to help establish where water is escaping when a system keeps losing pressure.
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Bathroom, wet room and assisted shower leaks
ADI investigates leaks from care home bathrooms, en suites and wet rooms to establish whether water is coming from a supply pipe, a waste connection or the shower area.
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Ceiling, structural and hidden cavity leaks
ADI investigates hidden pipe leaks behind care home walls, floors and ceilings, where the visible stain is often some distance from the fault.
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Roof ingress and building leak inspections
ADI investigates roof and building water ingress at care homes to help identify the defect behind damp that returns after rainfall.
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Drain leak and drainage defect investigations
ADI offers drain leak investigations for care homes, including CCTV surveys where suitable access is available, to look for drainage defects beneath the property.
View this serviceNon-invasive leak detection methods used in care homes
ADI’s engineers choose between acoustic detection, thermal imaging, tracer gas, moisture mapping, pressure testing and inspection cameras to suit the pipework and building. No single instrument finds every leak, so the methods are combined to narrow the search before any opening up is agreed with your team.
Acoustic leak detection
Acoustic leak detection uses sensitive listening equipment to help an engineer locate the sound of escaping water, including beneath ground and floors.
Thermal imaging for leak detection
Thermal imaging uses a camera that shows surface temperature differences, which can help an engineer investigate heating pipework and moisture patterns.
Tracer gas leak detection
Tracer gas leak detection uses a specialist gas mixture to help trace a leak from a suitable isolated pipe to a detectable point at the surface.
Moisture mapping
Moisture mapping takes measurements across walls, ceilings or floors to build a picture of where moisture is concentrated in the building.
Pressure testing pipework
Pressure testing checks suitable sections of pipework to help establish which part of a heating or water system is losing pressure.
CCTV drain surveys and inspection cameras
Drain cameras and borescopes give the engineer a view into accessible drainage and concealed spaces that cannot otherwise be seen.
Care home leak detection case studies
These four anonymised ADI Leak Detection investigations show how leaks were traced in working care homes, what was repaired and what the home still had to arrange. Every photograph was taken during the job it appears with.
Visited March 2025
Tracing a hot-return leak under the floor of an occupied care home
Water was passing through the floor and cavity wall into the plant room. ADI’s investigation had to account for a busy care home where hot water was still in use.
A hotspot beside a covered hatch
Visual inspection and a thermal camera helped trace the pipe layout and locate a hotspot near a covered inspection hatch. Pressure testing was not possible while the hot-water system remained in use.
Working with the caretaker, the engineer removed laminate and screed to open the hatch. This exposed a leaking 28 mm copper hot-return pipe.
The repair and the check
The hot-water circuit was drained, the affected pipework was repaired and re-piped, and the supply was restored. The engineer then made a visual check. This was not a pressure-test pass or confirmation that the entire system was free of other leaks.
Floor repair still to arrange
Opening the hatch disturbed the flooring. The caretaker was to arrange its repair, and the report recommended keeping the inspection access available for future maintenance.
Pipework exposed during this investigation. Access through the floor was needed to reach the leak.
Visited December 2025
Locating heating pressure loss beneath a concrete floor
A care home’s heating system was losing pressure. The building has both radiator and underfloor heating circuits.
A hotspot and wet flooring
The engineer isolated the heating circuits, then used a thermal camera and moisture readings to narrow the search. A hotspot and high moisture readings led to an area of wet flooring. The leak was on a heating pipe running beneath the concrete.
Digging out and replacing the pipe
The concrete over the leak was excavated and the leaking section of copper pipe replaced, using endfeed fittings. The engineer refilled the system, bled the radiators and reopened the underfloor heating circuit. When checked afterwards, the system was holding its pressure.
Concrete left for the home
Reinstating the concrete and latex screed over the repair was left for the home to arrange. The report also recommended rerouting the radiator pipework to run from above if leaks came back.
The heating pipework exposed beneath the concrete floor. The thermal camera picked up a hotspot in the floor.
Visited January 2026
Basement damp and a leaking hot-water pump union in a care home
The basement of an occupied care home had extensive damp, with high moisture readings in the floor.
A perished washer on the hot-water return
A visual inspection found a union on the hot-water secondary return leaking continuously above the concrete slab. Its fibre washer had perished. The leak may have been adding to the damp, but it was not proven to be the only cause.
Repaired without a retest
The engineer drained the hot-water cylinder, replaced the washers on both sides of the pump union and fitted one new pump union. Operational constraints at the home meant the system could not be retested afterwards.
Still to be confirmed
Mains leakage was not checked, because no water meter was available. The report recommended monitoring the basement damp and the boiler pressure, and considering dehumidification and a water meter to support further investigation. Water pooling outside was noted as a possible separate source.
The pump union opened up during the repair. The hot-water pump with a union on each side.
Visited July 2025
Finding a leaking garden tap supply pipe under paving
A care home’s garden tap had no water. Its supply pipe ran underground, beneath paving.
Listening along the supply
The engineer traced the supply route and put the pipe under pressure with a compressor, then reintroduced water and used acoustic listening equipment along the line. That located the fault under the paving. When it was dug out, the pipe had come away from its fitting and the gasket was damaged.
Reconnected and pressure tested
The pipe was reconnected with a new gasket, using blue MDPE water pipe and fittings. A pressure test afterwards held, the garden tap had water again and no further leaks were found at that test.
Putting the paving back
The trench was backfilled and the paving slabs relaid. The report recorded no further recommendations. As with any repair, the test result describes the pipe on the day it was checked.
The supply pipe exposed under the paving. The damaged gasket, removed from the fitting.
How ADI minimises disruption in occupied care homes
ADI plans each visit with your staff around residents’ routines, room access and essential services, then uses the evidence to narrow the search before any opening up. Care staff may have noticed a damp patch before anyone reported it, and maintenance may know the boiler keeps losing pressure, so bring both to the first call.
Step 1: Pre-visit planning around residents and safeguarding
Discuss room access, resident routines and the essential services your home relies on with ADI before the engineer arrives.
Step 2: Non-invasive thermal and acoustic leak tracing
Thermal imaging and acoustic listening help the engineer narrow the search for the leak before any opening-up work is considered.
Step 3: Clear reports for estates managers and insurers
Recorded findings, with photographs or video where appropriate, help your estates team and insurer understand the problem and plan the next step.
Leak detection for residential, nursing and dementia care homes
ADI investigates leaks in residential care homes, nursing homes, dementia care settings and care groups, planning each visit around the people, building and access arrangements. Tell us about yours.
Leak detection in residential care homes
Leak investigations in residential care homes are planned around bedrooms, shared bathrooms, dining areas and the home’s daily routine, with a named staff contact.
Leak detection in nursing homes
Make essential water and heating requirements part of the nursing home’s brief from the first conversation, including the services that must remain available.
Leak detection in dementia care settings
In dementia care settings, explain visitor procedures, staff escort requirements and any areas where unexpected activity should be avoided before the engineer arrives.
Leak detection for care groups and retirement living
Care groups and retirement living operators can make one clear enquiry for their estates team, with the practical details agreed for each property.
Why care home managers choose ADI Leak Detection
Care home managers choose ADI because it has found hidden leaks since 2011, with 25+ engineers and enquiries taken from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Carehome Leak Detection is a specialist service from ADI Leak Detection.
£5M public liability insurance and RAMS documentation
ADI carries £5 million public liability insurance and can supply the risk assessment and method statement your home asks for before the engineer starts, so your health and safety file has what it needs.
Accredited plumbing and heating specialists (CIPHE, WIAPS, WaterSafe and SPATA)
ADI’s accreditations cover plumbing and heating, water regulations and swimming pools, and its engineers carry CSCS cards for work on commercial sites.
Rated 4.7 out of 5 from 1,608 Trustpilot reviews
ADI holds a TrustScore of 4.7 on Trustpilot from 1,608 customer reviews of its leak detection work, checked on 11 September 2026. Read the reviews on Trustpilot.
- Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
- Water Industry Approved Plumbers Scheme
- WaterSafe approved contractor
- Swimming Pool and Allied Trades Association
- CSCS cards held by ADI engineers
Talk to ADI about your care home leak
Call ADI on 0800 852 7763 with the home’s postcode and what you have noticed, and the office will quote for your investigation and confirm current availability. Have the affected rooms and systems to hand.
- List the affected rooms and any rooms above them
- Note meter readings, pressure loss or damp that keeps returning
- Agree who can arrange room access and any isolation on the day
Discuss a care home investigation
Call 0800 852 7763Monday–Friday, 7:30am–6:30pm
Calls reach ADI’s office team in High Wycombe, who quote each care home investigation for the building and the work required.
See contact detailsFrequently asked questions about care home leak detection
Can leak detection be carried out while residents are in the care home?
Leak detection can be planned for an occupied care home, but suitability depends on the building, the suspected leak and the investigation required. Tell ADI about occupied rooms, visiting arrangements and essential services when you enquire. Access and any testing interruptions need to be agreed with the home’s staff.
Will engineers need to lift flooring or open up walls?
Not always, because ADI uses non-invasive equipment to narrow down the source first, though some leaks still need opening up to confirm the fault or carry out a repair. Ask the team to explain the likely approach for your site.
Does ADI cover care homes across the UK?
ADI advertises a nationwide commercial service, so send your care home’s postcode and the team will confirm coverage, travel arrangements and the next available appointment. This is especially worth checking for islands and remote locations.
Can ADI provide a leak report for our estates team?
Yes, ADI provides leak investigation reports, with photographic or video evidence where appropriate, that can be shared with your estates team. Explain who needs the report and what they need to decide, and confirm the reporting scope when booking.
How much does a care home leak investigation cost?
The cost depends on the suspected leak, the systems involved, site access and the scope of testing, so contact ADI for a quotation for your care home. Confirm what is included in detection, reporting and any repair work.
Are ADI engineers DBS checked for working in care homes?
Ask ADI to confirm whether the attending engineer holds a current DBS check, along with their documentation, before you book the visit. Give the team your home’s safeguarding, escort and visitor requirements so the visit can be agreed appropriately.