Wellington Leak Detection & Repair
A leak you can see is easy — turn off the stop tap and fix it. A leak you can’t see is where insurance claims come from: ceilings stained, walls mouldy, timber rotting quietly behind the plasterboard for weeks.
Southern uses thermal imaging, acoustic detection, and targeted pressure testing to find leaks without tearing the house apart. 40+ years of leak-hunting experience across Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Kapiti and Porirua.
Call 0800 484 353 — 24/7.
Four Types of Leak We Hunt
- Water leaks — hidden runs under floors, in walls, under concrete slabs, and inside ceiling cavities
- Gas leaks — pressurisation testing for slow losses on domestic and commercial gas lines
- Roof leaks — water-testing methods to trace where rainwater is entering
- Drain leaks — CCTV and smoke-testing to locate cracked or collapsed sections
Each type has its own detection method. Sending a plumber with only one tool to a job that needs three is how leaks get mis-diagnosed.
Signs You Might Have a Hidden Leak
- Water bill has jumped but usage hasn’t changed
- You can hear running water when nothing is turned on
- Hissing sound under the floor — often a pressurised line leaking
- Damp patch on a ceiling, wall or floor that doesn’t dry out
- Low water pressure that’s appeared out of nowhere (see water pressure)
- Water meter ticking over with all taps off
- Unexplained mould in a corner
- Warm spot on a cold concrete floor — hot water line under the slab
Burst Pipes — Isolate First, Call Second
If water is visibly pouring out of something — burst pipe, cracked tank, failed cylinder — isolate first:
- Find the main toby at the street or driveway and turn it off
- Turn off power to the hot water cylinder at the switchboard
- Open the lowest taps in the house to drain pressure
- Then call 0800 484 353
We’ll usually talk you through what to do on the phone while a van is dispatched. Burst pipes are priority callouts any hour of any day.
Common culprits: Dux QEST pipework from the 80s, galvanised pipes corroding from the inside, polybutylene, and failed cylinder fittings.
Leaking Taps, Toilets & Fittings
The small stuff adds up. A dripping tap is 20+ litres a day; a leaking cistern can run 200+ litres before you notice. Fix rates vary:
- Washer / O-ring replacement on an older tap — $90-$180
- Cistern inlet valve or flush valve — $150-$320
- Full mixer replacement — $280-$750 + mixer
- Waste trap or drain fitting leak — $180-$400
We carry parts for every major NZ tapware brand — Felton, Methven, Greens, Paini, Mizu. Most repairs are finished on the first visit.
Insurance Claims & Leak Reports
Hidden water damage claims need a plumber’s report — cause, location, scope of damage, proposed repair. We produce this routinely for insurers and property managers across Wellington and the Hutt Valley.
Our detection and repair work is covered by the Master Plumbers Guarantee. Certifying Plumber on staff, 40+ years of experience, Master Plumbers members for 25+ years. Read what clients say on our testimonials page.
Frequently Asked Questions
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We combine thermal imaging (shows temperature differences where hot water is escaping), acoustic listening (hears pressurised water), pressure testing (isolates sections of the line), and moisture metering. Saves cutting into walls and floors blindly.