How to Tell if Your Boiler is Losing Pressure?

Heating system leaks, whether in central heating or underfloor heating, are among the most frequent and disruptive issues homeowners face.

Common signs of a heating leak include:

• Boiler losing pressure or cutting out
• Feed and expansion tank constantly refilling
• Unexplained increases in water bills
• Cold radiators
• Visible damp, water damage, or mould
• Musty odours
• Banging or gurgling noises from the system
• Warm spots on the floor
• Heating engineer identifying a leak

If you’re repeatedly topping up your heating system with fresh water, it’s crucial to address the issue quickly, as this can cause damage to your boiler and heating system. Some plumbers or engineers might suggest using leak sealant, but be aware that this is only a temporary fix. It can even void your boiler’s warranty and hinder leak detection efforts. If sealant has already been added, we recommend a power flush to clear it out before we perform a proper leak detection.

Our team uses a variety of advanced, non-invasive techniques to accurately locate heating leaks while minimizing disruption to your property:

• Thermal Imaging: Helps identify the path of buried or hidden pipes and reveals abnormal heat patterns, indicating a potential leak.
• Gas Tracing: An inert tracer gas is pumped into your heating pipes. A specialized probe then detects where the gas is escaping, pinpointing the leak’s location.
• Moisture Meter: Detects any hidden damp areas caused by leaking water.
• Endoscopic Camera: Provides a visual inspection of pipes within wall or floor cavities.
• Acoustic Microphone: Detects the sound of water escaping from the system.

Once we’ve located the leak, our engineers, who are also experienced plumbers, can often carry out repairs on the same day. This may involve removing flooring or even excavating concrete to access the affected pipe. After the repair, we thoroughly test the system to ensure it’s fully sealed and that no additional leaks are present. If the leak is in a tricky location and can’t be fixed on the spot, we’ll arrange a follow-up visit with the appropriate tradespeople.

In some cases, especially in homes built during the 1970s and 80s, we find that copper heating pipes were laid in concrete without protective lagging. Over time, this leads to corrosion and small leaks, often in multiple places. If this is the case, we can address it as part of the repair process.

For underfloor heating leaks, we recommend that you contact the system’s manufacturer or supplier beforehand to obtain a repair kit. This allows us to complete the fix on the same day and ensures your system’s warranty remains intact.