Source of seepage
Concealed plumbing
Leaks from CPVC, GI and waste pipes inside walls and floors
How water travels
From the source to your wall.
Most Indian flats run hot and cold water lines in chases cut into the brick or block wall and plastered over: CPVC in newer buildings, GI in many older ones. Waste lines from basins and sinks run in the floor or wall to the shaft. A weeping joint, a cracked fitting behind a mixer or a corroded GI pipe leaks steadily into the masonry, and the water spreads out from the line before it shows on either face of the wall.
When it shows: All year, independent of rain. Often found during dry months when other sources are quiet.
The pattern it leaves
- A damp band following a horizontal or vertical pipe route, often at tap or mixer height
- Wet patches on the other side of a bathroom or kitchen wall, in a bedroom or passage
- Damp that stays the same in dry and wet seasons
- Damp that worsens when water is used, or a water meter that moves with all taps closed
- Rust staining along the line in flats with old GI pipes
How it's confirmed
Meter, thermal, eyes.
- Meter scan along likely pipe routes from each tap, mixer and sink, compared with the dry reference wall
- Thermal scan of the walls: hot-water lines show as warm lines, and a leak can show as a warm or cool spread from a point on the line, depending on whether the water is hot or cold. Cold supply lines can show as cool stripes without leaking, so every thermal pattern is confirmed with the meter
- Checking whether readings change after taps are run for a few minutes, where the owner permits
- Visual check of exposed fittings, mixer plates and the base of cabinets
Who is usually responsible
It depends on where the water starts.
- Owner
- Usually responsible for pipes that serve only their own flat, from the point where the supply enters it.
- Society or association
- Usually responsible for common supply risers and shared lines, under the society's bye-laws, which vary.
- Builder (within defect period)
- A plumbing defect in a new flat brought to the builder's notice within five years from the date of handing over possession falls under Section 14(3) of the RERA Act, 2016. Your state's rules may differ.
- Landlord
- In a rented flat, usually the landlord's to repair, depending on the rent agreement and your state's tenancy law.
Typical repair approach
What a fix usually involves.
Described for understanding, not as a recommendation. Megahedge does not do repairs or recommend contractors.
- 01Locating the leak by a plumber, often by pressure testing the line, before any wall is opened
- 02Opening the wall or floor only at the leak, replacing the joint or section, and pressure testing again before closing
- 03In older flats with corroded GI lines, replacing the run instead of patching one joint
- 04Letting the wall dry before re-plastering and painting
- 05A re-scan to check the readings are falling
Questions buyers ask
Can you tell exactly which joint is leaking?
No. Megahedge maps where the wall is wet and the likely pipe route. Pinpointing the joint is a plumber's job, often with a pressure test.
Do you pressure test pipes?
No. The inspection is non-destructive and does not include plumbing tests. The report says when a pressure test by a plumber is the next step.
Why do concealed leaks often go unnoticed?
The water spreads inside the masonry before it reaches the paint, and fresh paint can hide it for a while. A meter shows the wet area behind the surface.
Find the damp before you pay for it.
Book a moisture and thermal inspection. Report on WhatsApp within 24 hours.