Common leaks in homes
Leaky loos
Dripping taps
Household appliances
Baths & showers
Overflow pipes
Radiators
Garden taps
Water tanks & boilers
Leaky loos
Did you know, leaky loos are one of the most common household leaks?
The average leaky loo loses around 400 litres of water a day - that's nearly three baths a day!
How to Test for a Leaky Loo
- Wait 5 minutes after flushing to ensure the back of the toilet pan is as dry as possible.
- Place a piece of toilet paper at the back of the pan, leave it there for 5-10 minutes.
- If the paper is wet or torn you have a leaky loo!
Leaky Loos are usually caused by a faulty fill or flush valve.
If you have an older style cistern, make sure you check it and the overflow pipes for any leaks
Fixing the leak
If your property is rented you may wish to make your landlord, the council or housing association aware to support in the repair.
If you own the property, you should check if your plumbing is covered by your home insurance or a separate policy. If you have recently moved into a newly built home, please contact your developer to arrange a repair.
If your insurance doesn't cover the problem you'll need to contact a plumber.
Search WaterSafe's list of qualified plumbers.
Call our trusted partner on 01156 472 850.
Unsure who should be fixing your leak?
Yorkshire Water are responsible for the pipework outside the street boundary, as well as the meter and its connections. If you see water dripping from or around the meter in dry weather, or the water in the chamber moving or rotating, get in touch with us to investigate further.
The homeowner is usually responsible for the plumbing inside your home and the pipe between your home and boundary of your property.
Find out more about pipe responsibility
If you are a business customer, please speak to your retailer to support in the repair.
I’m on a meter, will there be an allowance on my bill?
If you’re on a meter, you could be entitled to an allowance.
The leak must have been repaired or you've asked us to look into the problem in the last 28 days. The leak must not have been caused by your negligence.
This allowance will be either for excess water charges from a leak or for wastage from faulty plumbing.
You may only claim once. If the pipe we repaired leaks again and it's still under guarantee, you might get another allowance.
Can I prevent leaks?
During cold weather, your pipes inside and out are at risk, especially if they’re not properly protected. But there are things you can do:
- Check that all pipes, cisterns and tanks in unheated areas, like lofts and cellars, are well insulated - use waterproof foam lagging or insulated tape.
- Keep your heating on low during cold spells – set your timer to constant and use your thermostat to keep it warm.
- Make sure you know where your stop tap is, just in case there’s a burst pipe.
- If you’re going away, ask your neighbours to pop round to check your pipes haven’t frozen or burst.
Protect your property with HomeServe
HomeServe offer a range of policies, and if things go wrong, an approved engineer will be there to get things sorted.