Sydenham grew as a working-class borough of cottages and small houses for workers at the factories along the railway, but from the 1950s most of them gave way as commercial and light industrial zoning spread south. The 2010 and 2011 earthquakes badly hit the Colombo Street shops, with buildings lost on about 35 sites. Newer housing includes 350 Colombo, 76 terrace-style houses built by Fletchers on the former Sydenham school site. Most hidden leaks in Sydenham are on the supply pipe between the boundary and the house, under a shower or in a wall cavity. We narrow it down with the right equipment and show you what we found.
Sydenham leaks in terraces, cottages and light industrial units
Sydenham's housing is a mix of remaining workers' cottages, light industrial and commercial units, and newer terraces such as the 76 homes at 350 Colombo on the old school site. Terraces raise a question that standalone homes do not: several houses can draw from one common supply pipe before it branches to each unit. When water use jumps, we test each owner's branch separately before touching the shared section, so nobody pays for a leak that is not theirs.
In the newer terraces most pipe runs through walls and concrete, which suits thermal imaging and acoustic listening, and the aim is a single small opening rather than lifting a floor. The older cottages are usually on timber, so we can often reach the pipe from underneath. Commercial and industrial units along Colombo Street and towards Moorhouse Avenue come with boundary backflow devices and sometimes several tenancies on one supply, which need careful isolation.
The quakes hit the Colombo Street shops hard, with buildings lost on about 35 sites, and many replacements were tied into existing services. Where old and new pipe meet is a known weak point. Whatever the building, once we find and fix the leak you get an itemised invoice that records where it was. Terrace owners can ask for the report to be copied to the body corporate or the neighbours on the shared pipe, so everyone sees the same findings.
Local tip: If you own a Sydenham terrace, find out from your body corporate or title where the shared supply pipe runs, as it speeds up any future leak search.
Leak Detection in Sydenham: Local Factors
On land that moved in 2010 and 2011, supply pipes can be stretched or cracked, and repaired sections can leak at the joins. We test the line and find the weak spot.
For anything else, see our plumbers in Sydenham.
How We Handle Leak Detection in Sydenham
Our leak detection in Sydenham is non invasive wherever possible, so only a small area needs opening for the repair.
Pricing: quotes are free, and every job gets a fixed price before we start, so there are no surprises on the invoice.
Leak Detection Jobs We Do in Sydenham
- Pressure test
- Shower leak
- Toby meter test
- Leak report for insurance
- Supply pipe leak
Leak Detection Sydenham FAQs
Does a leak on our terrace block's shared pipe count for a council remission?
Christchurch City Council offers a remission for leaks repaired promptly, and how it applies to a shared supply depends on how the block is metered, so check with the council. Our itemised invoice records where the leak was and what was replaced, which is the evidence it asks for.
Can you find leaks under concrete slabs?
Yes. We use pressure testing and listening gear to locate leaks under slabs.
Can you fix the leak after finding it?
Yes. Once we find it, we give you a price and can usually fix it on the same visit.
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