Our Case Study – Leak Find and Fix in Eastleigh, located in Wyteways within the Boyatt Wood area. This particular job turned out to be quite a challenge, even for an experienced plumber like myself, but with persistence and the right approach, we managed to get it resolved in the end. The initial signs of the problem were very clear: water was steadily coming through the kitchen ceiling, and naturally our first assumption was that the source had to be the bathroom directly above. More often than not, when water appears downstairs, it is linked to a bath, shower, or sink, so we began investigating there. At first glance, it looked almost certain that the bathtub was the culprit, which led us to pull up sections of the bathroom floorboards in search of the leak. Unfortunately, this line of investigation proved to be a complete waste of time and effort, as the floorboards showed no evidence of any water escape.
After rechecking and tracing the pipe runs more carefully, we discovered that the true source was not the bathtub at all but the toilet cistern supply pipe, which was located in the small toilet room directly next to the bathroom. At that point, we had two options to gain proper access. The first option was to remove the entire toilet to get to the pipework directly from above, which would have been messy, time-consuming, and disruptive for the occupants. The second option was to cut directly into the already damaged kitchen ceiling below, since it would eventually need repair or replacement anyway. After weighing up both choices, we opted for the latter and decided to go through the ceiling.
Once the ceiling section was opened up, we immediately located the problem: the bend on the copper pipe feeding the toilet cistern had developed a pinhole leak. Water was escaping at around one drip per second, which in plumbing terms is a fairly fast leak that can cause significant damage over time if left unresolved. The job was complicated by the fact that the working area was very restricted, positioned above head height and tightly packed between the soil stack and the kitchen sink waste pipe. This made it awkward to get tools in place and even trickier to manoeuvre new pipework.
To fix the issue, we first shut off the water supply, then carefully cut out the damaged section of copper pipe and removed it from the ceiling space. Next, we measured, cut, and bent a new piece of copper pipe to replicate the exact shape of what had been taken out. The replacement had to be precise in order to weave around the existing pipework and sit properly in the confined space without creating further strain on the joints. With patience and careful adjustment, we managed to slot the new pipe into place and solder it securely, ensuring a strong and watertight connection.
All in all, the repair took around three hours from start to finish. The job was lengthened not only by the awkward access and overhead working position but also by the initial misdirection of pulling up part of the bathroom floor. Despite the challenges, the leak was fully resolved, the water supply reinstated, and the kitchen ceiling left ready for the homeowner to repair cosmetically. Another successful leak find and fix, even though it tested both skill and perseverance. So our Our Case Study – Leak Find and Fix in Eastleigh was a success.
