Trace & Access
Specialist leak tracing & surveys
In order to fix a water leak, you first have to find it. At Miracle Leak Detection, we are experts at locating even the most difficult and obscure leaks in your home or garden.
Our non-intrusive leak detection methods cause zero to minimal damage to your property and our detailed photographic reports provide your insurance company with everything they need to payout.
View more about our trace and access methods below.
The benefits of trace & access insurance
Trace and Access is a term typically used by insurance companies to describe the process of locating a water leak in property using a variety of specialist methods described in detail below.
We recommend that you check directly with your home or buildings insurance company before calling us to ensure your policy cover meets the requirements of your situation.
It is in the best interests of insurance companies for trace and access work to be completed as effective leak tracing can significantly reduce the cost of any remedial repair work.
How do I know if I have a leak if I can’t see it?
It’s hard to miss water dripping from your ceiling or an unexpected new water feature springing up from the middle of your garden, but how do you know if you have a water leak if the symptoms are not so obvious?
Here’s a few quick and simple things to keep an eye on that could suggest you need the help of specialist leak tracing equipment.
- Is your water meter spinning when your taps are off? If your water usage is high but your internal and external taps are closed, your washing machine and dishwasher aren’t running and you see no visible signs of water above ground, it could mean that you have an underground leak.
- Have you been surprised by usually high water bills? While it’s common for water usage to fluctuate throughout the year, if you’ve received a bill from your water company that doesn’t seem to reflect your actual usage, it may signal a hidden leak requiring immediate attention.
- Has your heating stopped working or your boiler lost pressure? A water leak in your heating system pipework can cause your boiler to lose pressure and will most likely require professional leak detection equipment to locate.
How we trace water leaks
We offer a fixed price trace and access service following the completion of a free visual inspection of your property. This visual inspection does not involve the use of any specialist detection equipment, but allows us to accurately gauge and price the work required.
Upon instruction to complete trace and access works, we will use one or a variety of the methods below to locate your external or internal water leak, before providing you with a further option for its repair.
1. Call 0800 037 7078
Our trace and access services are approved by all UK insurance companies. Call us for free today to discuss your situation and book in a free visual inspection by one of our expert technicians.
2. We’ll inspect your leak for free
Upon booking, we will carry out a free visual inspection of your reported water leak to provide you with a structured price for the trace, access and repair. The visual inspection will not find your leak by itself.
3. Get a fixed price to find your leak
We know how frustrating it can be when a price changes throughout a job. The price we quote you for the work will be the price you pay. Plus, we’ll provide you with a detailed report to submit to your insurance company.
Tracer gas leak detection
The use of tracer gas is an ingenious, yet deceptively simple approach to finding a water leak in your home. In simple terms, we’ll replace the water in your pipework with a safe gas and use a sensitive above ground detector to find anywhere that it escapes.
The pressurised gas is harmless and travels effortlessly through common building materials making it the perfect way to discover the source of your leak.
Clean, non-invasive leak detection
Ironically, tracer gas leaves no trace. The gas escapes upwards from faulty pipes towards ground level allowing our technicians to detect its presence with no damage to floor, walls, ceiling or garden.
Certified for safe use in all pipework
Tracer gas is certified for use in residential and commercial pipework due to its non-toxic, non-corrosive and non-flammable properties. Our team of experts have been professionally trained in its use and have used the method to locate hundreds of water leaks in Hertfordshire, Surrey and London.
Thermal imaging leak detection
Our specialist thermal imaging equipment lets us see behind your walls or beneath your floor to spot possible hidden water leaks.
Using a thermographic (infrared) camera, we can quickly determine even the smaller change in a pipe’s temperature and begin our efforts to access and repair the problem.
Quick and effective thermal leak tracing
There’s a reason the police use infrared cameras in their helicopters. Our thermal equipment can be quickly configured for use in your home and requires zero direct access to your pipework.
See through walls (and under floors)
Just as a doctor will review an x-ray for signs of a problem, we’ do the same with thermal images of your home or garden. Sometimes our camera will alert us to a particular area and we can use another method to pinpoint the location of your leak more precisely.
Endoscopic leak detection
Using a small camera and a flexible support, the process of endoscopic detection allows us to access hollow walls and recesses to look for the source of your leak. The camera’s light illuminates the cavities of your home to help the camera relay a real-time picture feed back to a screen viewed by one of our team.
Endoscopic cameras provide a convenient and highly effective method through which to closely examine pipework and defects, before full access and repair.
Perfect for tight spaces
The small size of the endoscope camera means we don’t need a large space to access a void and find your leak. Access can usually be obtained via an existing hole, crack or light fitting.
Trace & Access FAQs
Dealing with insurance companies can be a frustrating experience, especially when you’re claiming for cover you’ve probably never needed before. We’ve included some of the most common questions regarding trace and access below.
Remember, if you still have a question, you can call us now on 0800 037 7078.
› How do I know if my insurance policy includes trace and access protection?
Trace and access cover is commonly included on most buildings insurance policies but the specifics of your own protection may be limited by the location of a leak or a required excess payment.
We highly recommend calling your insurer to fully understand what you are and are not covered for as soon as you suspect that our trace and access service may be needed.
› Why should I use a specialist to find my leak instead of a local plumber?
Leak detection is a specialist form of plumbing that requires particular unique equipment and expertise beyond that carried by most general local plumbing companies. All of our leak technicians are fully qualified plumbers with the added benefit of specific and intensive training for leak detection work.
We work throughout the UK
Water leaks can happen at any time and can go unnoticed for weeks, months or even years. Miracle Leak Detection offers an unrivalled five-star trace and access service across the UK.
Visit the links below to explore our most visited counties. including Hertfordshire, Surrey and London.
Hertfordshire
Get your water leak found and fixed fast in all areas of Hertfordshire, from Bishops Stortford and St Albans, to Watford and Ware.
Surrey
We cover all areas in Surrey and south London, including Guildford, Epsom, Haslemere and more. View all of our Surrey locations below.
London
Need us to find your leak in London? We work throughout greater London and the suburbs, as well as deep within the heart of the city itself.
