Concealed pipework is difficult to inspect and costly to expose. Testing at the right stage gives the installer a chance to find defects while joints, fittings and routes are still visible.
Test the installed section
The test method, medium, pressure and duration must suit the specific pipe system, its components and the applicable instructions. A single figure copied from another material or project is not a reliable procedure. For domestic water-supply work to which CTE DB HS 4 applies, the installer must test mechanical strength and watertightness while the components remain visible and accessible. RITE sets separate testing requirements for thermal pipework.
The section under test should be identified clearly. Valves, equipment and parts that are not intended for the test conditions need to be considered before pressure is applied.
Look beyond the gauge
A stable reading is useful, but visible joints and fittings should also be inspected using the method appropriate to the system. If a result is uncertain, investigate and repeat the test after corrective work rather than treating the first reading as a formality.
The result belongs in a record: what was tested, how, when, by whom and with what outcome. Photographs taken before concealment can show the pipe route and the location of connections.
Close only after the checks
Once the test and inspection are satisfactory, the team can protect the installation and proceed with finishes. Later alterations may require a fresh check of the affected section.
For an owner in Marbella, this is a simple question to ask before walls or floors are closed: is there a clear test record for the pipework that is about to become inaccessible?