Leak detection in Johannesburg — what we actually find
In the older inner suburbs a rising bill often turns out to be a failing drainage joint rather than a supply leak, because lead-jointed cast-iron lets water into the ground quietly. We combine pressure testing on the supply side with camera inspection on the waste side, since chasing only one of the two on these properties is how a leak survives several visits.
Property stock in Johannesburg
Central Johannesburg's older housing stock still runs a great deal of lead-jointed cast-iron drainage, and the joints fail long before the pipe does. Municipal pressure across the inner suburbs swings hard overnight, which is what finally splits an already-tired connection. Electrically, these properties frequently carry three or four generations of wiring in the same ceiling, added by different hands over decades.
Access is generally direct, but on older subdivided properties we confirm which meter and which board actually serve the unit before starting.
Faults that cluster in Johannesburg
- Lead-jointed cast-iron drainage failing at the joints rather than along the pipe
- Overnight municipal pressure swings splitting tired connections
- Three or four generations of wiring sharing one ceiling with no reliable labelling
- Pre-1975 installations with no earth-leakage protection at all
How leak detection works
The meter test tells you whether you have a leak; detection tells you where it is. Close every tap, note the reading, wait two hours and read again — any movement means water is escaping between the meter and your fixtures. From there, acoustic correlation and thermal imaging locate it precisely enough to repair without opening tiles speculatively. That precision is the whole point, because the repair is usually small and the exploratory damage is what costs.
- Acoustic and thermal detection on supply lines, including under slabs and paving
- Toilet and cistern dye testing, which finds the most commonly missed silent leak
- Irrigation, pool and buried supply-line isolation testing
- Written reports with marked locations for insurance and municipal leak adjustments
- Repair of the located leak, or re-routing where the buried run is at end of life
Our process on a Johannesburg call-out
- 1Confirm an active leak with a meter isolation test before any equipment comes out
- 2Isolate zone by zone — toilets, irrigation, pool, house — to narrow the area
- 3Pinpoint with acoustic correlation and thermal imaging
- 4Mark the location and report it in writing with the position recorded
- 5Repair with a targeted break-out rather than exploratory demolition
Leak detection in Johannesburg — frequently asked questions
Other work we do in Johannesburg
Need leak detection in Johannesburg?
Owner-managed by Garth Blair. We pick up the phone and book you in personally.
Speak to Garth directly.
Owner-managed means you reach the person who's accountable. Phone, email or WhatsApp — whatever's easiest for you.
- Call now082 886 9119
- WhatsApp082 886 9119
- Emailgarth@appleplumbing.co.za
- Service areaSandton, Midrand & Northern JHB
- HoursMonday to Saturday, 07:00 – 17:00