Grange PlumbingWhat to do if you suspect a hidden leak
Damp patches on a ceiling, a meter that ticks over when nothing is running, or an unexplained jump in your water bill — all classic signs of a hidden leak. In Caterham the most common culprits are pinholes in old copper pipework, perished compression joints under floors, and supply-pipe leaks running between the meter and the house.
We use acoustic listening sticks, thermal imaging cameras and pressure testing to pinpoint the leak to within centimetres before anything is disturbed. That means a targeted repair instead of ripping up an entire floor or driveway.
If the leak turns out to be on the underground supply pipe, we can fix it in the same visit using moling — replacing the run without digging a trench across your garden or drive.
See our full leak detection serviceWhat's included
- Acoustic listening equipment for in-wall and under-floor leaks
- Thermal imaging to map hot/cold water runs
- Pressure testing and tracer gas where needed
- Underground supply pipe and driveway leaks
- Written report for your insurance trace-and-access claim
- Repairs handled in-house — including moling for buried pipes
Why Caterham homeowners call Grange Plumbing
Local to Caterham
Based nearby, we cover Caterham and the surrounding villages regularly.
Fully insured
Every job is fully insured with a written quote and clear invoice.
Fast response
Same-day or next-day visits for leaks and water-main problems.
What leak detection work in Caterham actually involves
Housing stock and why supply pipes fail in Caterham
Caterham splits between the Victorian and Edwardian valley properties and the later hilltop development around the old barracks. Valley housing frequently still has lead, and the steep gradients between the road and the house mean supply pipes here often run at inconsistent depth — which matters, because a shallow section is the part that freezes or gets damaged by later landscaping.
Ground conditions across CR3
Caterham sits on chalk of the North Downs, with clay-with-flints capping the higher ground. Flint is the main variable. We survey before quoting so we can tell you honestly whether the run is a straightforward mole or whether a short section needs opening up.
Access, driveways and reinstatement
Steep, stepped and terraced front gardens are common. Two compact access pits are far easier to work and reinstate on that kind of frontage than a continuous trench cut down a slope.
Water supplier and postcodes we cover
Caterham and the surrounding Surrey villages are supplied by SES Water, and the properties we work on are mainly in the CR3 postcode area. Your water supplier is responsible for the main in the road and the communication pipe up to the boundary stop tap; the supply pipe from the boundary into your home is the homeowner's responsibility, and that is the section we replace, repair and leak-locate.
Streets and neighbourhoods we regularly work in around Caterham include Caterham on the Hill, Caterham Valley, Whyteleafe, Warlingham, Chaldon, Woldingham and Old Coulsdon. If you are just outside these, it is still worth calling — most of Surrey is within our normal working radius and there is no charge for a quote.