A dry garden does not rule out a buried supply leak. Water can drain into permeable ground, follow a trench or remain below the surface. Equally, meter movement may come from an internal fitting or automatic appliance. Leak detection in Walton-on-Thames should first establish the test boundary and all legitimate water use.
Make the meter observation accountable
Identify the correct meter and photograph the display with exact start and finish times. List toilets, softeners, irrigation, appliances and every occupant’s use. Do not treat “quiet house” as proof that nothing used water.
Follow supplier guidance and avoid lifting covers in traffic or reaching into flooded chambers. Shared supplies need professional coordination rather than casual isolation.
Define what the internal stop tap controls
Locate the internal stop tap and check its effect only if it is accessible and moves without force. Outbuildings or outside taps may branch before it, so record them.
If the valve does not fully stop the kitchen cold tap, the isolation boundary is uncertain. Do not interpret continued meter movement as a confirmed external leak until that is resolved.
Provide route clues without digging
Collect service plans, extension records and photographs from previous ground works. Note surfaces crossed by the likely route. Old information should be dated and labelled as unverified.
A specialist carrying out leak detection in Walton-on-Thames may trace the supply and test sections. The absence of a wet patch is part of the site condition, not a reason to skip investigation.
Close the question with post-repair evidence
If a defect is found, photograph the actual route and repair before reinstatement. Repeat the same controlled meter observation and confirm normal internal supply afterwards.
If no external defect is demonstrated, return to internal fittings and automatic use rather than assuming the meter is wrong. Keep the full result, including negative tests, to prevent the same ground being opened without new evidence.
Avoid overlooking small internal uses
Check each toilet for pan movement, listen for periodic refilling and note water-softener or irrigation cycles. A fitting can pass water quietly without creating a floor stain. Do not dismantle cisterns or disconnect appliances to make the meter test cleaner.
If an internal defect is repaired first, repeat the identical meter interval before commissioning ground investigation. Resolving an obvious fitting may explain all flow; continued movement then provides stronger reason to assess the supply route. Record the second interval even when unchanged.
Further reading
Prepared with AI assistance using the sources listed above. General information cannot diagnose an individual property. Contact us to discuss your circumstances.
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