Detecting water leaks underground
A high water bill with no visible signs of water damage can often mean a leak in buried pipes. See how non-invasive techniques can be used to find water leaks underground and how you can avoid costly excavation work.
Pressure tests are straightforward to carry out and help narrow the search area. Non-invasive tests such as acoustic surveys can be used to pinpoint the exact location of an underground leak before any digging is needed.
If you suspect a leak in buried water supply pipe, this example shows how we make finding and fixing it as quick and easy as possible.
Video Transcript
Our tradespeople are experts at investigating hard-to-find leaks and sources of water ingress inside a property. They’re also equipped for detecting water leaks in pipes underground. In this video, we’ll show you the techniques used for detecting water leaks underground. The “trace and access” approach we take means digging to expose the pipework can be highly targeted. The methods we use save time and money. In this example, a homeowner suspects a water leak in underground pipes. Their most recent water bill was unexpectedly high but there’s no sign of a leak inside the property.
Water Meter Test
The investigation began with testing the underground mains water supply pipe. The stop valve inside the property was turned off and a meter reading was taken. Another reading was taken 30 minutes later, indicating there wasn’t a leak in the main underground water supply pipe.
Pressure Testing
The next step was pressure testing the plumbing system inside the property. The central heating system was isolated and could be pressure tested separately if needed. A clear drop in pressure was recorded, indicating a leak somewhere in the cold water system. With no visual signs or smells of damp inside the property, visual checks were made outside. Attention turned to detecting a leak in pipes running underground.
Acoustic Survey
Specialist acoustic equipment is the most effective way of detecting water leaks underground. When water that’s under pressure escapes from a leaking pipe it creates tiny vibrations. Using a highly sensitive microphone that’s placed on the ground, these vibrations are amplified as sound.
Our tradesman first had to locate the line along where the underground water supply pipes were buried. Radio detection equipment was used for this. An acoustic survey was then carried out along the full length of the underground pipe. Changes in the sounds detected along the survey line allow the position of a buried leak to be located to within a few centimetres. The equipment can be used to detect water escaping from a pipe no matter what type of internal or external solid floor it’s buried beneath.
Acoustic surveys detect large or small leaks in any type of pipework, including central heating systems. This non-invasive trace & access method means that once the leak has been pinpointed excavation work to expose it can be highly targeted. Eventually a leak was detected in the water supply pipes beneath a driveway that ran to a garage.
Repair & Reinstatement Service
In addition to leak investigation, we also provide a full repair service. Coring equipment was used to make a small hole in the concrete slab and expose the leak. A scope of work and fixed price quote to fully excavate the pipe for repair and then reinstate the concrete slab to its original state was given to the customer. The homeowner could provide this information along with the detailed leak detection report to his insurance company. The work was scheduled in a few days later and was covered by the insurance policy.
Here we’ve shown you that with the right equipment detecting water leaks underground is usually straightforward. The invasive part of the investigation is only needed to expose and fix the problem once its location has been accurately detected.
Thanks for watching. Check out our other videos in this “how to find a water leak” series. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up to date with more maintenance advice.