How to spot a water leak in an empty apartment in Estepona

Of everything that goes wrong in an empty apartment, water is the most expensive. Not a burst pipe — those are obvious and rare. It is the slow ones: a weeping boiler connection, a failed washing machine hose, a cistern that never quite stops, a shower tray whose silicone gave up two years ago.

A slow leak in an occupied home is noticed in a day. In an empty Estepona apartment it can run for four months, through the floor, into the neighbour's ceiling below. That is when it stops being your repair and starts being a community and insurance matter.

Early signs worth looking for

• ·A musty smell that is stronger near one wall or cupboard than elsewhere
• ·Skirting boards or the base of a kitchen unit that are swollen or discoloured
• ·Tile grout that is darker in one patch, or a loose tile that was solid last visit
• ·Any water mark on a ceiling, however faint — photograph it and compare next visit
• ·Visible drips or mineral crust on boiler, water heater and under-sink connections
• ·An unexpectedly high water bill, which often arrives before any visible damage

The five-minute meter test

Close every tap and appliance, then read the water meter. Wait fifteen minutes without using anything and read it again. If it moved, water is going somewhere it should not. It is the simplest diagnostic there is, and almost nobody does it — because it requires someone standing in the apartment.

What to do between visits

• ·Close the main stopcock when the property will be empty for a long period
• ·Turn off the washing machine and dishwasher inlet valves as well
• ·Replace flexible appliance hoses every five years rather than waiting for failure
• ·Keep the boiler serviced — most of the leaks we find start at a connection, not the unit
• ·Ask for photos of the meter and the usual problem points on every visit, so you have a record

Regular checks are the only real defence. Scheduled property checks catch this in the weeks it costs a plumber's call-out, and we coordinate the repair for you as part of property management in Estepona.