What to do when you find a water leak

1. Stop the water

The main stopcock is usually under the kitchen sink, near the front door, in a downstairs toilet or where the water pipe enters the house. Turn it clockwise until it stops. In a flat it may be in a communal cupboard. If the leak is on the heating system, turn the boiler off. On most modern sealed systems the mains stopcock will not stop a heating leak, because the heating water is kept under its own pressure. Water may keep coming out until that pressure drops, so catch what you can and, if you can reach them, close the valves either side of the leaking radiator.

If the stopcock is stuck, do not force it. The outside stop tap, usually under a small cover near your boundary, can shut the supply off, though it may need a stop tap key and may also cut off your neighbours. It belongs to your water supplier, so if you cannot turn it, ring their emergency line or an approved plumber.

2. Make it safe

• Never touch switches, sockets or the consumer unit with wet hands or while standing in water.
• If water is near electrics and the consumer unit is dry and safe to reach, switch off the main switch, or the affected circuits if you are sure which they are. Do not use anything that got wet until a registered electrician has checked it.
• If a ceiling is sagging or bulging with water, keep everyone out of the room below.

3. Record everything before you clear up

Your insurer and any loss adjuster will want to see what the damage looked like. Take wide photos of each room, close-ups of the damage, and a short video walking through. Photograph the water meter reading, and anything you have to move or throw away.

4. Tell your insurer

Most policies ask you to report a claim as soon as reasonably possible. Ring the claims line, get a claim reference, and ask two questions: does my policy include trace and access cover, and do you want to appoint your own leak detection company or can I arrange one?

On larger or complicated claims the insurer usually appoints a loss adjuster to assess the damage. Here is what happens on a water damage claim.

5. Get the leak found

Stopping the water buys time. It does not tell anyone where the leak is. Until the source is found, the plumber cannot fix it, the drying company cannot start, and the adjuster cannot say what caused the damage.

ADI's engineers locate hidden leaks with non-invasive equipment and provide a written report with photos and readings. That report is often the document that lets the rest of the claim move.

Common questions