Finding a leak under a concrete slab or deep inside a wall used to mean tearing up your home until the source was found. Today, we use Tracer Gas Leak Detection. By injecting a harmless gas into your pipes and using a highly sensitive "sniffer," we can find the exact location of the leak down to the inch. Here is how the process works.
Step 1: Draining & Isolating the Line
Preparing the plumbing system
Because gas and water don't mix well for detection purposes, the first step is to turn off the main water supply to the affected area. Our plumbers isolate the suspected hot or cold water line where the pressure drop is occurring.
Once isolated, we completely drain the remaining water out of that specific pipe. This creates an empty chamber inside your plumbing, ready to be filled with our specialized tracer gas.
- Goal: Remove water to allow gas to travel freely.
- Tools Used: Manifolds, pressure gauges, and air compressors.
Step 2: Injecting the Tracer Gas
Why we use a Hydrogen/Nitrogen mix
We connect a pressurized cylinder to the drained plumbing line and fill it with a non-toxic, non-flammable tracer gas mixture—typically 5% Hydrogen and 95% Nitrogen.
Why hydrogen? Hydrogen is the smallest and lightest molecule in the universe. When it reaches the crack or pinhole leak in your pipe, it easily escapes and travels straight up. It is so small that it easily penetrates through dirt, concrete slabs, hardwood floors, and tile to reach the surface.
- Safety: 100% safe for drinking water pipes, non-toxic, and non-flammable.
- Advantage: Escapes through the tiniest pinhole leaks that acoustic detectors might miss.
Step 3: Sniffing for the Leak
Pinpointing the exact location
With the plumbing line pressurized with tracer gas, our technician walks over the suspected path of the pipe using a highly sensitive Hydrogen Sniffer device. This wand-like tool continuously samples the air just above your floor or wall.
As the technician sweeps the area, the sniffer detects even microscopic amounts of hydrogen gas escaping from the leak below. The detector sounds an alarm and displays parts-per-million (PPM) readings. By finding the highest concentration of gas, we pinpoint the exact location to dig or cut, saving the rest of your home from unnecessary damage.
- Precision: Can locate leaks within inches.
- Prevention: Stops plumbers from needlessly breaking up large sections of your slab.
Leak Detection Methods Compared
| Method | How It Works | Best For | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tracer Gas (Hydrogen Sniffer) | Detects escaping hydrogen gas at the surface level. | Deep slab leaks, microscopic pinhole leaks, quiet leaks. | Requires shutting off water and draining the lines first. |
| Acoustic (Sonar) Detection | Uses highly sensitive headphones to listen for the sound of spraying water. | High-pressure leaks, yard line leaks. | Struggles if the leak is very small, quiet, or muffled by deep concrete. |
| Thermal Imaging | Uses an infrared camera to see temperature changes in floors/walls. | Hot water slab leaks, radiating moisture behind drywall. | Only works well if the leak involves a significant temperature difference. |
Suspect a Hidden Leak?
Don't let a slab leak ruin your home's foundation. Our non-invasive leak detection will find the problem accurately and safely.
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