Our leak detection methods
No single method finds every leak. A thermal camera cannot see a cold water leak, acoustic detection hears nothing on a drain, and tracer gas needs a pipe that can be isolated. Expomis uses nine non-destructive methods and combines them to cross-check the results before marking the position of a leak.
Which method for which leak?
- Every job: moisture mapping to define the affected area, and a pressure test to confirm the leak and identify the circuit.
- Hot water, underfloor heating: thermal imaging, then tracer gas if the contrast is not strong enough.
- Pressurised cold water, buried pipe: acoustic detection and tracer gas.
- Drains and sewers: fluorescein, smoke test, CCTV drain survey.
- Water ingress: moisture mapping, fluorescein, thermal imaging.
- Hidden spaces (suspended ceiling, service duct, dry lining): endoscopy.
The nine methods in detail
Thermal imaging
Shows the heat from a hot water or underfloor heating leak, without contact.
Read moreAcoustic detection
Electro-acoustic listening and correlation: the sound of water escaping under pressure.
Read moreTracer gas
A nitrogen-hydrogen mix that rises to the surface directly above even the smallest leaks.
Read moreFluorescein dye test
A fluorescent dye that shows where the water is coming from: drain, shower, terrace.
Read morePressure test
Confirms the leak and identifies the circuit involved, before any location work.
Read moreMoisture mapping
Mapping the damp area: how far it extends, and which side the water is coming from.
Read moreSmoke test
Non-toxic smoke that escapes through defects in a drainage system and tracks down smells.
Read moreCCTV drain survey
A camera pushed into the drains: cracks, displaced joints, roots, back-falls.
Read moreEndoscopy
Looking inside a suspended ceiling, a service duct or dry lining without taking anything apart.
Read moreA leak, water ingress, an insurance claim?
Describe the situation and we'll tell you how we would proceed. 24/7 emergency service.