Modern leak detection locates most leaks within inches, using a combination of acoustic listening equipment, thermal imaging, and pressure testing. Accuracy matters because it determines how much wall or concrete has to be opened — the difference between a targeted repair and a demolition project.
The Methods and What Each Does
- Acoustic detection. Sensitive listening equipment hears water escaping under pressure through concrete, soil, or drywall. Highly effective on pressurized supply lines, and the workhorse for slab leaks.
- Thermal imaging. Infrared cameras find temperature anomalies. Excellent for hot-water lines under slab — a hot-water leak shows as a clear warm signature — and useful for tracing moisture behind walls.
- Pressure testing. Isolating sections of the system and monitoring pressure loss confirms a leak exists and narrows which run it is on, before any listening begins.
- Video camera inspection. For drain and sewer lines, where a camera with a locating transmitter marks depth and position on the surface directly.
- Moisture meters to map the extent of water intrusion in building materials.
What Affects Accuracy
Honestly: leak size (a slow weep is harder to hear than a steady spray), depth and what is above it, pipe material, background noise, and access. This is why we use multiple methods and cross-check rather than relying on one instrument. A leak confirmed by both acoustic and thermal evidence is one we are confident about.
Why Precision Is Worth Paying For
An imprecise location means exploratory cutting — several holes in drywall or several cuts in concrete looking for the source. Each one is repair and restoration cost on top of the plumbing. Locating within inches means one opening in the right place.
Before You Call
Run the meter test: shut off every fixture, then watch the water meter’s low-flow indicator for fifteen minutes. Movement confirms a leak and tells us it is on the pressurized side. It takes five minutes and it is genuinely useful information.
After Location
We lay out repair options — spot repair, reroute, or repipe — with prices, and no technician here works on commission.
