Finding water leaks using thermographic equipment

Since we find leaks by process of elimination, we focus our efforts on finding the leak as fast as possible starting from the most likely suspect to the least likely suspect.

We quickly eliminate the difference between a low pressure waste water leak and a high pressure water installation leak, by making use of a thermal imaging device.

Thermography is a test that uses an infrared imaging device to digitally detect heat patterns in the flow of water within a pipe located in a wall or floor.

The thermal imaging device senses a difference in the surface temperature between the surrounding substrate and the pipe. When a water leaks from a pipe, it carries the temperature of the water with it, and this has an effect on the surrounding substrate. The imaging device quickly senses this temperature difference and makes a digital image of the pattern.

This technique is useful in quickly diagnosing a leak which emanates from a shower drain or waste water fitting, since the pattern that emerges from the leak will show up as an irregular shape and not flow in within the confines of the pipe.

This technique has its limitations though. Thermography can be obstructed by shiny surfaces and some thermal insulation may prevent the sensor from accurately locating the heat signature created by the water temperature.

The reason we use thermography is to quickly determine if the leak is from a low pressure pipe leak and a high pressure leak. This saves our clients time and prevents the client from paying for a test that was not necessary.