Leak Detection in Ferny Hills
Water can escape behind walls or under the slab without a visible trace, yet the meter still records every litre, and that is where leak detection in Ferny Hills begins. The dial only turns when water is drawn through it, so movement with every tap shut confirms the problem is real. Our licensed plumbers trace the loss to a single stretch of pipe.
If we're late, $100 comes off your bill
- Licensed and InsuredEvery job done by a licensed plumber. QBCC No: 15024607
- Fixed Quote FirstFlat-rate pricing, agreed before any work starts
- Lifetime Labour WarrantyBacked by our Fix-It-or-It's-Free guarantee (T&Cs apply)
- $0 Call-Out FeesNo extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays
We're available 24/7, with no extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays. This page sits under our water pipe repairs service, part of the plumbing work we do across Ferny Hills. For a pipe that has already let go, our burst pipe repairs page covers the urgent response.
Signs of a Leak You Cannot See
Three places give a hidden leak away: the meter, the house and the yard. At the meter, a dial ticking over with every tap off is the clearest sign of all.
Inside the house, watch for damp patches or staining on walls and ceilings, a musty smell, swollen or peeling paint, and a floor patch that feels warm underfoot. Out in the garden, ground that stays soggy, or a strip of lawn greener than everything around it, points to water escaping below.
A higher bill ties the three together. A concealed leak can sit under a driveway, inside a wall or beneath a slab and waste thousands of litres a day before anything looks wrong.
One local trap deserves a mention. Houses built before the 1974 sewer connection started on septic systems, and buried tanks and absorption trenches still lie under some yards. Soggy ground near an old absorption area can be leftover drainage rather than a live water leak, so the meter decides which one you're dealing with.
How a Plumber Pinpoints a Hidden Leak
We confirm the leak at the meter first, then work along the line in order: isolate a section, pressure-test it, and see whether it holds. The section that loses pressure holds the leak.
From there we narrow the search by listening along an exposed pipe or a wall for the sound of running water, and by taking moisture readings in walls, floors and subfloor timber. Nothing gets opened until the readings give us a location.
Every one of those steps is work for a licensed plumber. If you'd rather check the meter yourself first, the test below takes an hour and costs nothing.
Is the Leak on Your Side of the Meter
With every tap and appliance off, record the meter, wait at least one hour, then read it again. Any movement suggests a leak, and the pipes from the meter onto your property are yours to maintain and repair.
Here is the full test:
- Turn off every outlet and appliance that draws water: taps, the hose, the washing machine, the dishwasher, a plumbed-in fridge and any irrigation.
- Photograph the meter numbers, including the red ones, and leave the meter's own tap turned on.
- Leave everything off for at least one hour, with no water used anywhere on the property.
- Read the meter again. Changed numbers mean water is escaping, so call us to investigate.
The ground at the meter tells its own story. A meter box sitting full of water points to a fault at or around the meter, and that one belongs to Unitywater. Soggy ground with the dial still means the loss is on the utility's pipe, while soggy ground with the dial turning means the draw is on your side, and that's ours to find.
A hidden leak and low supply pressure can also travel together, since a split line loses pressure on its way to your taps. Our low water pressure page explains that side of the fault.
Water Bill Relief for a Hidden Leak
A concealed leak, meaning one hidden from view on your side of the meter, can earn a bill adjustment when the repair meets the utility's deadline and a licensed plumber's invoice backs the claim. Unitywater's rules set the conditions:
- The leak has to sit underground, in concrete or beneath the building, and be one you could not reasonably have known about.
- The repair has to be a lasting one, finished within 30 calendar days of you finding out. A temporary service line does not count.
- The account holder applies in writing with the licensed plumber's invoice attached. If you did the repair yourself, a statutory declaration replaces the invoice, and a licensed plumber should check the work.
- The application must reach Unitywater no more than 12 months after the repair date, and at most two billing quarters can be adjusted.
- Leaking taps, toilet cisterns, hot water systems and other water appliances never qualify. Irrigation, pools, spas and rainwater tanks filled through faulty plumbing are excluded too.
Rentals and units have their own path. If Unitywater alerts a tenant to a possible leak, the owner or agent is treated as informed from that moment. In a community titles scheme with sub-metered lots, the lot owner claims for a leak on their own lot and the body corporate claims for common land.
How a Leak Detection Visit Runs
- 1
Tell us what's happening
Call (07) 3523 6484 or send the form with a few details about the problem in Ferny Hills. A clear description helps us bring the right parts.
- 2
We test and narrow the search
We start at the meter, confirm the loss, then split the line into sections and pressure-test each one. Moisture readings and a listen along the pipe narrow it to the exact stretch before anything gets opened.
- 3
Approve a fixed price
You get a fixed quote before any work starts, with flat-rate pricing and no hidden fees. Nothing goes ahead until you say yes.
- 4
Pay when it's finished
Pay by card or EFTPOS on site once the job's done, or ask about Fix now, pay later.
Plumbing job in Ferny Hills?
$0 call-out fees, available 24/7, and same-day where we can.
Leak Detection Questions From Ferny Hills Homes
Call (07) 3523 6484How do I check for a hidden water leak at home?
Run the meter test. Shut every tap and appliance that uses water, photograph the meter numbers including the red ones, then check again after at least one hour. Movement means water is escaping on your side.
How long does the water meter test take?
At least one hour, and a longer wait gives a clearer reading when the leak is small. How slowly the dial moves depends on how much water the fault is losing, so give a slow drip extra time with every outlet shut.
How much does leak detection cost in Ferny Hills?
The price depends on access, the number and length of pipe runs to test, and the method the job needs. We give you a fixed quote before any work starts, so you know the figure up front.
How quickly do I have to repair a hidden leak for bill relief?
Unitywater wants the repair finished within 30 calendar days of you finding out about the leak. Keep the licensed plumber's invoice, because the claim needs it attached.
Who pays for a hidden leak on my property in Ferny Hills?
You do, as the owner. Every drop of water the meter records is billed to you, leaks included, and the repair is yours as well. Relief exists only under the utility's concealed leak rules.
Call Us About Any Leak You Cannot SeeWe'll call you back.
Book on (07) 3523 6484 for plumbing anywhere in Ferny Hills. We're available 24/7, there's no extra charge for nights, weekends or public holidays, and every job comes with $0 call-out fees.
To claim your $0 call-out fee, call (07) 3523 6484 today.