A leak rarely picks a convenient moment, and the first ten minutes make the biggest difference to how much damage it does. Most of what matters in that time you can do yourself, with no tools beyond a towel and possibly a flat-head screwdriver. Here is what to do, in order, while you wait for a plumber to reach you.
Your internal stop tap shuts off the mains supply to the whole house. In most Barnsley homes it is under the kitchen sink, but in older stone and brick terraces it is often at the cellar head, under the stairs or just inside the front door where the supply pipe comes in. Turn it clockwise until it stops. If it has not been touched for years it may be stiff. Firm hand pressure is fine, but do not force it with grips, as a snapped spindle makes things worse.
If the leak is from a single fitting such as a toilet, tap or washing machine, look for a small isolating valve on the pipe feeding it. A quarter turn with a flat-head screwdriver, so the slot sits across the pipe, shuts off just that fitting and leaves the rest of the house with water.
Water and electrics are the real danger. If water is coming through a ceiling near a light fitting, or running down a wall with sockets on it, switch off the affected circuit at the consumer unit, or the main switch if you are unsure which one it is. Do not touch wet switches or fittings.
A ceiling that is bulging is holding water and can come down without warning. Keep everyone out from under it and move furniture and electrical items clear. If the leak is on the heating side, such as a radiator valve or pipework near the boiler, turn the heating off at the boiler and let the system cool. A pressure gauge that has dropped below 1 bar is a sign that the system is losing water.
A few details over the phone help a plumber bring the right parts and judge how urgent the visit is. You do not need to diagnose anything, just describe what you see.
If you have a water meter and cannot find the source, turn off every tap and appliance and watch the meter for a few minutes. If it is still moving, water is escaping somewhere on your pipework.
If you own the house, everything from your boundary inwards is yours to fix, including the underground supply pipe across the garden or drive. Leaks in the road or pavement, or at the outside stop tap, belong to Yorkshire Water, so report those to them directly.
If you rent from Berneslai Homes, report the leak through their repairs line as soon as it is safe, and do the same with your landlord or letting agent if you rent privately. You should still turn the water off first. Nobody will object to you preventing damage.
It depends almost entirely on access. As a rough guide for the Barnsley area, a simple repair in normal working hours, such as a weeping joint, a failed washer or a leaking radiator valve, often comes in somewhere around £80 to £180 including parts. A split pipe under a floor, behind tiles or boxed into a wall can run to £200 to £400 or more, because most of the time goes on getting to it and making good afterwards.
Evening and weekend call-outs cost more, which is another reason the stop tap matters. If the water is off and nothing is at risk, a leak can often wait until the next working day at the standard rate. Ask for a price or an hourly rate before anyone sets off.
Not always. If you have shut off the water, the electrics are safe and nothing is still dripping, it can usually wait for a normal working hours visit. Water you cannot stop, or water near electrics, needs someone out straight away.
Most buildings policies cover damage caused by a sudden escape of water, but not the wear and tear that caused it, and gradual leaks are often excluded. Take photos before you clear up and check your excess before deciding whether to claim.
Self-amalgamating tape or a pipe repair clamp can hold a small leak for a day or two, and it is a sensible stopgap. Treat it as temporary though, because a joint or pipe that has failed once will usually fail again.
Tell us about the job and we will get a quote back to you, most days the same day.