Non-Invasive Electronic Leak Detection

How a leak detection visit works

1. Confirm the leak with a water-meter test: all fixtures off, meter still moving, means water is leaving the system somewhere.
2. Use acoustic ground microphones to listen for the frequency signature of water escaping under slab or in a wall.
3. Use thermal infrared imaging to map moisture and temperature differences that point to the leak path.
4. Pinpoint the failure — in one recent case, a 1/16-inch erosion pinhole in a hot copper supply line under 4 inches of slab.
5. Scope a targeted repair, such as a single-access isolation bypass and PEX-a reroute through ceiling joists, preserving hardwood floors.

What the technician checks first

• Meter behaviour and bill history, to confirm a leak exists before any equipment is deployed.
• Warm versus cold patches, which separate a hot supply leak from a cold supply or drain problem.
• Slab, wall and ceiling clues, so acoustic and thermal work starts in the right zone.
• Pipe material and route, because copper pinhole erosion, a failed joint and a cracked drain each sound and image differently.

Slab, wall and sub-floor leaks — why location matters

A sub-floor concrete slab leak needs ground-microphone work and a reroute plan that avoids breaking the slab where possible. An in-wall rupture needs thermal mapping and a small, precise opening. A supply pinhole and a drain leak need different repairs even when the wet patch looks the same. Precision locating is what keeps a leak repair small.

Questions customers ask about this service

How do you find a leak without breaking the floor?
Acoustic microphones hear escaping water under concrete, and thermal cameras show moisture and temperature patterns. Together they narrow the leak to a small area before any opening is made.

My bill jumped but I see no water. Is that a leak?
It can be. A meter test with all fixtures off is the first check. If the meter moves, water is escaping somewhere, often under slab or inside a wall.

Will the repair damage my hardwood floors?
The goal is to avoid it. In the sub-slab case above, a PEX-a reroute through ceiling joists preserved the original hardwood, and pressure stabilized at 55 PSI with a passed meter test.

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