If your water bill jumped, a wall is damp, or the meter keeps turning with every tap closed, you likely have a hidden leak. Handyman Algarve arranges professional leak detection: describe the problem, get a free quote, and the leak is located without breaking walls open at random.
Leak detection finds hidden water leaks in walls, floors and pipe runs using acoustic equipment, thermal imaging and moisture meters, so only the confirmed spot needs opening for repair. Handyman Algarve quotes leak detection in the Algarve for free, in English or Portuguese, with the price known before any work starts.
What are the signs of a hidden leak?
A water bill that rises with no change in your habits
The water meter moving while every tap and appliance is off
Damp patches, bubbling paint or mould on a wall or ceiling
A warm patch on the floor when hot water pipes run beneath it
The sound of running water in a quiet house
Low pressure on one tap or one bathroom only
One sign is enough to justify checking. Algarve homes add a local twist: many older houses have pipes buried in solid masonry walls or under tiled floors, and terraces and flat roofs can move water a long way from the actual leak before it shows.
Damp patch spreading from a ceiling corner
Close the main water valve and watch the meter for fifteen minutes. If it still moves, water is escaping somewhere on your side.
Photograph the patch with something for scale, and again two days later, so the spread is on record.
Keep the area ventilated but do not repaint over it: fresh paint hides the evidence and the damp comes back through.
Get the leak located before the plaster is opened, so only one spot needs repairing.
How does professional leak detection work?
The professional narrows the leak down before anything is opened:
Meter and pressure tests confirm there is a leak and which circuit it is on, mains or heating, hot or cold.
Acoustic listening equipment picks up the sound of water escaping under pressure, through masonry and screed.
Thermal imaging shows temperature differences where water is running or soaking, especially on hot water pipes.
Moisture mapping traces how far the water has traveled, separating the leak point from where the damp shows.
The result is a located leak, opened and repaired at one confirmed spot instead of a trail of exploratory holes.
What determines the price?
As of 2026, leak detection in the Algarve is normally priced per visit, and the quote depends on a few concrete things: the size of the property, whether the suspect pipes are in walls, under floors or outside in the garden run, how accessible they are, and whether you want the repair done in the same visit or quoted separately. The quote is free, states the price before anyone comes out, and the price you accept is the price you pay.
Leak repair after detection
Finding the leak is half the job. Depending on what the detection shows, the repair can often be done in the same visit; larger repairs, such as rerouting a pipe run or repairing a terrace membrane, are quoted before going ahead. Either way you decide with the location and the cost in front of you. See how it works for the process from request to finished job.
Leak detection is usually quoted as a fixed price per visit, and the price depends on the size of the property, how accessible the pipes are, and whether the repair is done in the same visit. As of 2026, quotes from Handyman Algarve are free and given before anyone comes out, so you know the cost up front.
Can a water leak be found without breaking the wall?
Yes. Professional leak detection locates leaks through walls and floors with acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging and moisture meters. The wall or floor is only opened at the confirmed spot for the repair itself, instead of opening tiles at random until the leak appears.
Is a hidden water leak an emergency?
Treat it as urgent. Close the main water valve, check whether the meter still moves with every tap closed, and get the leak located as soon as possible. Water damage grows quietly: plaster, wood and mortar absorb water long before the damage becomes visible on the surface.
Does home insurance in Portugal cover water leak damage?
Many Portuguese home insurance policies cover damage caused by escaping water, though usually not the worn pipe itself, and terms differ policy to policy. A detection report documenting where the leak is and what caused it is typically what the insurer asks for with a claim, so keep it.
We reply within one business day, usually much faster.