Leak detection in Luxembourg

When do you need leak detection?

A hidden leak is rarely seen directly. What you see are its effects:

• a damp patch spreading on the ceiling or a wall;
• a water meter that keeps turning with everything switched off, or an unusually high water bill;
• a boiler that loses pressure and needs topping up regularly;
• blistering paint, darkening grout, a musty smell;
• tiles coming loose, wooden flooring swelling;
• water appearing in the flat below.

The longer a leak lasts, the more damage it does: soaked materials, mould, sometimes structural damage. Finding it quickly also keeps repair costs down.

Non-destructive leak detection: what it means

Non-destructive does not mean nothing will ever be opened: the pipe still has to be repaired. It means the leak is located without opening things up at random. Instead of breaking open a whole wall or redoing an entire bathroom, only the spot we have marked is opened, over a small area.

The leaks we find

• Concealed and buried water pipes: in a floor slab, a wall, under the garden.
• Heating and underfloor heating: boiler losing pressure, radiators, heating loops in the screed.
• Drains and sewers: downpipes, connections, buried pipes, sewer smells.
• Showers, baths and leaks under tiles: supply, drain or waterproofing.
• Water ingress: roof, terrace, façade, basement.
• High water consumption: meter turning, abnormal bill, leak with no visible sign.

Our detection methods

No single method works in every case. The choice depends on the system (cold water, hot water, heating, drainage), its pressure and the materials covering it. We often combine several methods to cross-check the results.

• moisture mapping to define the affected area;
• pressure testing to confirm the leak and identify the circuit involved;
• thermal imaging for hot water and underfloor heating;
• acoustic detection for pressurised pipes;
• tracer gas for small, buried or under-slab leaks;
• fluorescein dye, smoke testing and CCTV drain inspection for drainage;
• endoscopy to look into inaccessible spaces.

How each method works and where its limits lie: our leak detection methods.

How a visit works

1. 1.You describe the symptoms to us by phone or email, with no obligation.
2. 2.On site, we observe, photograph and measure moisture to define the affected area.
3. 3.We pressure-test the circuits to find out which one is leaking, then pinpoint the leak with the appropriate method.
4. 4.The location of the leak is marked on site.
5. 5.Within 72 hours you receive a full report with photos and measurements.

Leak detection and insurance

In Luxembourg, many home insurance policies cover the cost of leak detection when the leak has caused water damage. Terms vary from one policy to another: check yours or ask your insurance agent. Who pays for what also depends on where the leak is: see our guide Water leak in Luxembourg: who pays?.

Our report describes the findings, the methods used, the source identified and the damage observed: it is the document insurers expect in order to process the claim. And if you feel the assessment by your insurer's adjuster does not reflect reality, we can act as your independent adjuster.

Where do we work?

Throughout the Grand Duchy: Luxembourg City, Esch-sur-Alzette, Differdange, Dudelange, Pétange, Sanem, Mamer, Strassen, Bertrange, Hesperange, Capellen, Mersch, Ettelbruck, Diekirch, Wiltz, Grevenmacher, Remich, Echternach and every other commune.

Based in Steinfort, on the Belgian border, we also regularly work in the south of the Belgian province of Luxembourg.