Pressure tests
The hot and cold supplies in both Coventry flats held during testing. That result directed attention away from a supply-pipe fault.
Block leak detection in the West Midlands
For a block in Birmingham, Coventry or the Black Country, water in one flat may originate in another home or a shared service. ADI investigates concealed leaks across the West Midlands, with access coordinated across the affected properties. The Coventry case below shows why pipe tests and checks of bathroom seals can lead to different findings.
Areas we cover in West Midlands
West Midlands coverage
- Birmingham
- Coventry
- Wolverhampton
- Dudley
- Solihull
- Walsall
- West Bromwich
- Smethwick
- Oldbury
- Wednesbury
- Stourbridge
- Halesowen
Map of West Midlands
Coventry: ceiling damp traced beyond the supply pipes
A tenant reported occasional drips through a flat’s living-room ceiling. ADI recorded high moisture readings near an earlier repair and tested the hot and cold feeds in that flat and the home above. Both sets of pipework held during testing.
In the upstairs bathroom, the bath silicone appeared sound, but water sprayed along the glass screen escaped beneath its rubber seal and ran onto the floor. The engineer considered this likely to be tracking through the structure and contributing to the damp below.
Replacement of the screen seal and resealing of the bath panel were recommended. The record does not establish a completed repair or a later successful retest.
For block managers, the practical issue is coordinating access across homes and recording each finding separately. This source begins with a tenant’s report; it does not identify a managing-agent instruction.
Blocks and situations we help with
- Purpose-built blocks where water is coming through from a flat above or next door.
- Houses converted into flats, where pipe routes may not follow the current layout.
- Flats above shops or offices, where the source can sit in a commercial unit or a shared service route.
- Estates with a shared underground supply, meter chambers or a car park.
- Blocks with communal heating or heat interface units.
- Buildings run by an RMC or RTM company, where directors want evidence before agreeing spend.
This list describes types of property only.
Leak investigation services in West Midlands
A leak in a block may show first as a stain in one flat. The source can be a neighbour’s pipework, a shared riser or the supply running under the car park, and each of those needs a different survey.
Detection methods and equipment in West Midlands
Tests are chosen for the suspected source and the access available.
Moisture readings
Readings identified damp in the lower ceiling and upstairs bathroom. Moisture establishes an affected area, not the cause on its own.
Controlled water testing
Spraying the screen showed water escaping beneath its seal. The report retained uncertainty about its contribution to the ceiling damage.
The equipment itself
-
Moisture meter, reading how far water has travelled through a wall. -
Thermal camera, showing hot pipework against a cooler floor. -
Ground microphone, listening for a supply leak under paving. -
Borescope, inspecting pipework behind boxing without removing it. -
Drain camera, surveying a chamber from the inside.
Useful local information
- County boundary
- The West Midlands county comprises Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. It is distinct from the wider West Midlands region.
- Drinking-water supply
- The drinking-water supplier depends on the address. Check the actual supplier before reporting a public-side leak; a wastewater service area does not establish who supplies the drinking water.
- Shared supplies
- One supply pipe can serve several properties. Tell the office which meters and isolation points are shared, and arrange access with the people responsible for the building. Survey findings do not decide ownership or lease responsibilities.
Sources reviewed 28 September 2026: West Midlands Lieutenancy: county and seven local authorities; Sandwell Council: the six towns; Dudley Council: living and working in the borough. The towns are coverage examples, not a list of previous jobs or local offices.
A written record after the visit
The attending engineer prepares the investigation report: the areas accessed, what was found and what still needs checking.
Use it to brief a repair contractor, update residents and give an insurer the evidence.
Read the illustrative sample report
Illustrative reportLeak investigation
Findings and next steps
- Scope
- Affected flat and adjacent service riser
- Access
- Record areas inspected and areas unavailable
Observed findings
Separate readings and visible evidence from interpretation.
Next steps
State what needs checking, who should arrange it and what remains uncertain.
What ADI customers say
Selected excerpts from five-star reviews of ADI’s wider service across the UK.
Rated 5 out of 5
I was very happy with Robert the leak detection engineer, he was very knowledgeable and professional. He found the leak after a thorough investigation.
Simon · Read full review on Trustpilot Rated 5 out of 5
Matthew was fabulous. Located a very difficult to access leak and repaired it for me. I can’t thank him enough.
amanda james · Read full review on Trustpilot
Questions about coverage and surveys
Does this cover the county or the wider West Midlands region?
The West Midlands county comprises Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton. It is distinct from the wider West Midlands region. Provide the property postcode to confirm survey arrangements and availability.
Does the survey decide who is responsible for a leak?
The report records tests and findings. It does not determine lease obligations or legal liability. Keep the repair decision separate from the question of who must arrange or pay for the work.
Why might the flat above need to be inspected?
Water can travel through a building before it becomes visible. In the Coventry investigation, tests covered two flats and found a bath-screen fault upstairs. Access should follow the suspected route rather than stop at the visible stain.
What information is needed for a survey quote?
Provide the full postcode, property type, symptoms, previous investigations and access restrictions. Confirm the nominated site contact and who can authorise work. The office will discuss the scope, quote and current availability.
Do you cover places that are not listed?
Yes, subject to availability. The places on this page are examples, and coverage is checked against the full postcode, so call with it even if the block is in a smaller village.
How soon can an engineer attend?
That depends on the postcode, the system involved and the appointments available. An attendance time is confirmed only when ADI accepts the booking. If water is putting people or electrics at risk right now, use the building’s emergency arrangements first.
Does the investigation include the repair?
Finding the leak and repairing it are agreed and priced separately. ADI does not undertake roof or building repairs.
What does a survey cost?
The price depends on the building, the system and the access needed. Ask for the survey price, VAT and anything excluded before you book.
Can the report go to our insurer?
Yes. It records what was inspected and found, which helps an insurer or broker consider the claim. It cannot decide who pays or guarantee that a claim is accepted. Read about trace and access.
Talk through the block and the leak
Have the postcode, the affected flats and an access contact ready.