Methods for Leak Detection

A professional plumber has many leak detection tools at their disposal

plumbing leakA water, sewer, or gas leak on your property can be a huge hassle, and the longer the leak continues without your noticing the more damage can be done. That’s why it’s important to consult an expert plumber like The Drain Dudes as soon as you have the slightest suspicion of a leak. We can use our professional leak detection equipment to pinpoint the location of the leak or leaks and repair the problem. The most common methods for leak detection include:

Visual Inspection

Obviously, if you see standing water or water damage anywhere in your home, this could very well be a sign of a leak. A professional plumber can conduct a visual inspection of the areas where any leaks may be occurring. Drawing on their years of experience in leak detection and repair, they may be able to notice visual signs of a leak that you have missed because they know exactly where to look.

Listening Devices

Unless the portion of the pipe that is leaking is exposed, it won’t be possible to pinpoint the location of the leak with a visual inspection. That’s where tools like listening plates and pipe microphones come in handy. These tools allow the plumber to locate the leak by sound. Listening plates may be designed for listening through walls or concrete floors, while pipe microphones can actually be inserted into the pipe. At The Drain Dudes, our plumbers are experts in using Leak Whisperer technology to locate leaks by sound.

Helium Leak Detection Equipment

When helium gas is pumped into a water pipe with a leak, the gas will naturally travel to the crack, hole, or puncture in an effort to escape the confines of the pipe. By locating the escaping gas using special monitoring equipment, the plumber can pinpoint the source of the leak. The downside of this type of equipment is that it is highly technical and it only works on pipes with accessible space around them. So, for example, it would not be very useful for a slab leak.

Infrared Equipment

Infrared equipment can see through drywall, concrete, and most types of soil to detect leaks in hidden pipes. This type of equipment is often used to locate pipes before construction or renovation projects, and when used by a trained technician it can also detect nuances in the signals being returned by the pipe that may indicate the presence of a leak.

Get Your Leaks Repaired Fast!

At The Drain Dudes, we take pride in offering fast and effective repairs for all kinds of plumbing and gas line leaks, including slab leaks. Often, we can use trenchless pipe repair technology to repair your pipe without tearing up your property.