Water leak underneath possibly

Snowy2018

My house is a mid terrace.

My next door neighbour has noticed a damp patch on their living room wall from the ground up - where our walls are joined, nothing my side.

The main water pipe is underneath that side, which belongs to me (my responsibility). 

What I want to know, is how to detect a leak underneath, i heard a leak detection survey, but with Google you get companies offering surveys but unsure what is genuine or not.

Would my water company be able to do this, feeding a cable from outside?

I'm not on a water meter, so cannot check this way.

I have no clue where to start.

Thank you

grumbler

Snowy2018 said:

Would my water company be able to do this, feeding a cable from outside?

I don't think so, but I'm no expert.
Is it not worth saying what sort of house it is in general and what sort of floor in particular?

FreeBear

One of two ways of checking to see if it is a water pipe leaking - Take a sample of damp soil from the area and test for chlorine. Something like this might work - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Drinking-Strips-Hardness-Alkalinity-Chlorine/dp/B01N5QO1L0

The other way is to turn the outside stopcock off, pressurise the pipe and monitor for a drop in pressure over an extended period. However, not everyone has access to a suitable pump & guage.

Snowy2018

grumbler said:

Snowy2018 said:

Would my water company be able to do this, feeding a cable from outside?

I don't think so, but I'm no expert.
Is it not worth saying what sort of house it is in general and what sort of floor in particular?

Mid terrace 1920's like these (image from google)




My floor is lamiumated flooring, they have carpet

stuart45

I think grumbler wanted to known the type of floor structure, as in timber joists and floorboards, or solid concrete.

Snowy2018

stuart45 said:

I think grumbler wanted to known the type of floor structure, as in timber joists and floorboards, or solid concrete.

Oh right, I have no idea, my guess would be solid concrete.

Albermarle

Snowy2018 said:

stuart45 said:

I think grumbler wanted to known the type of floor structure, as in timber joists and floorboards, or solid concrete.

Oh right, I have no idea, my guess would be solid concrete.

Seems unlikely in a Victorian terrace, unless it is in a more modern extension.
A well built wooden floor, with joists and floorboards, will be very solid feeling.

JohnB47

Ok,first I can understand when people don't answer the question you're asking but I wonder what you mean by "The main water pipe is underneath that side, which belongs to me (my responsibility). "

Do you mean that the water pipe runs along underneath your neighbours property but it's your responsibility? Why are you sure if that? Just wondering (eg if your neighbour is saying " I have damp and its all your fault!".

Snowy2018

Albermarle said:

Snowy2018 said:

stuart45 said:

I think grumbler wanted to known the type of floor structure, as in timber joists and floorboards, or solid concrete.

Oh right, I have no idea, my guess would be solid concrete.

Seems unlikely in a Victorian terrace, unless it is in a more modern extension.
A well built wooden floor, with joists and floorboards, will be very solid feeling.

Definately not more modern extension, definately a Victorian terrace.

Snowy2018

JohnB47 said:

Ok,first I can understand when people don't answer the question you're asking but I wonder what you mean by "The main water pipe is underneath that side, which belongs to me (my responsibility). "

Do you mean that the water pipe runs along underneath your neighbours property but it's your responsibility? Why are you sure if that? Just wondering (eg if your neighbour is saying " I have damp and its all your fault!".

Hope this image makes sense

There is nothing on my wall - it's a cream wall paint (no wall paper)

Murmansk

I know the houses shown on the picture aren't actually yours and your neighbour's but they do seem to have airbricks in their walls at floor level. Does yours have an airbrick because if it does, it might suggest it has a suspended timber floor in which case you might be able to see under the floor by taking up floorboards or (unlikely) looking through the airbrick?