Underground tank leak detection for duplexes in Makkah

Prepared by the technical team · editorial review · last updated 13 November 2026 · Sources

Underground tank leak detection in Makkah: the local context

Team note on Makkah: Kashf teams serve this city and its nearby districts with the same documented inspection standard: device-based leak detection without demolition, a written report, and a clear scope before any work begins.. The centre of Makkah sits about 301 m above sea level (SRTM open elevation data).

Makkah's dense residential districts often have older duplexes whose underground water tanks sit beneath tiled courtyards, parking areas, and service yards, and the facts available for this page cover finishing work, whether a building can be repaired without evacuating residents, and whether insulation requires breaking up existing tiles. Those points matter here because a leak in a buried tank rarely shows on the surface until damage has spread, so any inspection has to start by understanding how the tank is accessed and how much disruption the household can accept. For a duplex, the first check is usually the tank's access point and the connecting pipework, since that determines whether the leak can be located without opening a large section of the finished surface. The team looks at signs of seepage around the walls and at the water level pattern before deciding on any work that would touch tiles or finishes.

Before the visit, the customer should gather the property's water bills for recent months, note any damp patches, unusual water smells, or changes in pump operation, and clear access to the tank cover and the pump room. Keep a rough record of when the symptoms started and whether they change after filling the tank. Useful questions to ask the team include whether the detection can be done without breaking existing tiles, whether any repair would require the residents to leave, and what finishing work would follow and at what cost range per square metre for internal tank lining.

In a duplex, the two floors often share lines, so tests are done floor by floor.

Signs that call for underground tank leak detection

The following signs are worth checking before they grow:

• The pump runs for longer periods
• A noticeable drop in the water level overnight
• Damp or salt marks on the tiles above the tank

Where the problem usually comes from

• A common cause: a float valve that does not close, so water is wasted.
• Cracks in the concrete tank walls or floor.
• A common cause: construction joints and corners.

Tools we use in Makkah

How the work is done, step by step

1. Safety first: Tank lids and confined spaces are handled with ventilation and a second person on site.
2. Documented level test: Filling and use are stopped and the level is recorded against time.
3. Isolating the tank from the network: This tells us whether the loss is from the tank body or from the supply line.
4. Checking the body and connections: Inlet, outlet and overflow connections are inspected.
5. Recommendation: You get the next step in writing: repair, waterproofing or a line test.

Makkah in facts and sources

Short answers for Makkah

What we advise against

• Ignoring the float valve
• Waterproofing the tank before confirming the loss is from the tank and not the line

The written outputs

The written output: the written level-test result and the recommended next step. The report is numbered and can be checked with its verification code.