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How we find water leaks using thermal imaging leak detection

Nu-Trend has the latest thermal imaging leak detection equipment to find water leaks quickly on any type of property in Sydney
Summary

Thermal imaging water leak detection in Sydney

The Nu-Trend team of plumbers in Sydney provide Water Leak Detection services using the latest equipment and thermal imaging technology. Using our thermal imaging tools we can quickly locate water leaks without causing any damage to your walls or floors, making it a cost-effective choice if you have water issues.

The infiltration of water and moisture into the walls and floors of a house or building can have severe effects, and you may not notice the damage until it is too late to stop it from happening. By using a thermal imaging camera under the right conditions, it is possible to find hidden moisture issues and water leaks without resorting to destructive testing.

There are a number of sources of building moisture, including humidity (at any time), condensation, pipe leaks, rain and snow, and even the breath of people and animals. A low level of moisture is usually fine, but leaks or heavy condensation can lead to serious problems. Even though thermal imaging cameras cannot “see” moisture in walls, they can detect patterns and subtle temperature differences that indicate the presence of moisture within.

Nu-Trend can provide a quote to do an inspection of your property & to provide the necessary repairs to fix a water leak. The extent of work required will vary depending on where the leak is & how much damage it has caused.

How do plumbers find water leaks?

When you call a local plumber to try and get help finding a water leak ask them these questions;

  • What is their usual process for finding leaks.
  • What equipment or tools do they use.
  • What types of leaks have they found in the past
 

Listen carefully to their responses because quite a lot of plumbers in Sydney don’t have a lot of experience with leak detection. They say they do, but they might only be good at finding the obvious ones where you can physically see water coming out of a pipe.

There will be some plumbers that don’t have leak detection equipment or tools. They will hope that the leak is simple & can be found visually. You might solve most problems this way but if there are leaks inside the walls or under the slab then this can be a costly issue later.

What you have to be careful of is a plumber that guesses & tells you they have to cut holes in your walls, cupboards or ceiling. They might have good intentions but it means they could simply be guessing & they won’t repair the damage either.

 

How did we find a water leak at this property in Sydney?

The owner of this property noticed they had water leaking and it was running down their driveway. Upon inspection the water was warm which made it easy to isolate to the hot water unit as it gushed out the front of the house.

Although, this was quite unusual because there were no tap fixtures, bathroom or kitchen located at the front of the house. Each time the hot water heater was in use, water would flow at a high rate out of the concrete floor of the house.

Rather than spending a day digging holes in the concrete floor or searching under the house we used our thermal imaging camera to find the source of the hot water leak.

Together with our water leak listening equipment we confirmed the readings to very quickly find the location of the hot water pipe where the leak was coming from.

It was quite obvious due to the different coloured concrete patch that there had been a previous attempt to fix the leak previously. was very unusual was the leak looked like it had been repaired previously. It was located directly under the instant hot water unit that was located 20m away from the leak at the back of the house. 

So hot water system at the rear of the property with a repair previously completed but water running out at the front of the house. Our thought process was there was a cavity or channel that the water is travelling through that could be a broken pipe, old piping or a joint where some of the remedial work has failed or not been done correctly. 

The only way to really know is to excavate the concrete to properly investigate the existing conditions of the piping.

What is a thermal water leak repair?

Well getting a thermal water leak repair is something many people are searching for online believe it or not. We think it is related to the use of the equipment and tools we have explained above so solve water issues at a property. 

The thermal equipment won’t be able to help complete a repair, but it will certainly make the job a lot easier because you can find the causes of the problems to then work out what may need to be done.

This is the cheaper option compared to cutting holes in a wall or flooring.

Nu Trend Hot Water Leak Detection Service in Sydney with thermal imaging equipment to find leaks quickly

If appropriate conditions are met and a thermal imaging camera is used, uncovering hidden problems such as water and moisture can be done without the need for destructive testing. So instead of digging holes in the ground or cutting holes in a wall a thermal imaging camera can detect subtle temperature differences or patterns that reveal the existence of water. While the camera can’t ‘see’ through the wall or the floor it can display an image using a colour gradient to show the differences on surfaces.

This can be used together with other tools to isolate where a water leak is occurring and estimate the area that is getting damaged by the water.

Once you locate the source of the water leak it is possible to work out a plan of action to repair the leak & any other damage the moisture may have caused to walls, floors or other areas of the property

A number of tools and devices available at Nu-Trend can be used to find leaky pipes in walls in order to detect water leaks. The approach we take to finding a leak on a specific property and in a given situation is different. Therefore, the way we work depends on the location. An accumulation of moisture could be resulting from a leaking pipe somewhere else in the property causing the moisture to accumulate in a wall there. Sometimes it may not always be obvious where the source of a leak is coming from, since water can flow through channels or along pipes in different ways depending on the gradient of their installations & the existing conditions of the property.
Depending on the existing condition you are trying to inspect an infrared imaging camera can help measure moisture levels inside walls to uncover water leaks that are not visible.  So instead of cutting holes in a wall a the infrared can detect subtle temperature differences or patterns that reveal the existence of water. While the camera can’t ‘see’ inside the wall it can display an image using a colour gradient to show the differences on surfaces. This can be used together with other tools to isolate where a water leak is occurring and estimate the area that is getting damaged by the water. Once you locate the source of the water leak it is possible to work out a plan of action to repair the leak & any other damage the moisture may have caused to walls, floors or other areas of the property

The first step in detecting a water leak is to do a spot check yourself. When all your taps, hoses, and other water fixtures in your home are turned off, find your water meter, and if the meter is still moving, it could be because it moved extremely slowly, so please be patient. It is possible that if you see it moving then this might be an indication that there is a leak somewhere in the system.

The second step will be to identify where it is. If you are lucky you may see it because water is pooling on the floor, you have a damp area in your garden or you can see water on the ground near a wall or pipe.

If you can’t physically see anything then it could be in the walls or under the floor and you need a plumber in Sydney to do an inspection to detect your leak.

A number of tools and devices available at Nu-Trend can be used by our plumbers to find leaky pipes behind walls in order to detect water leaks. The approach our plumbers take to finding a leak on a specific property and in a given situation is different. Therefore, the way we work depends on the location. An accumulation of moisture behind your wall could be resulting from a leaking pipe somewhere else in the property causing the moisture to accumulate in a wall there. Sometimes it may not always be obvious where the source of a leak is coming from, since water can flow through channels or along pipes in different ways depending on the gradient of their installations & the existing conditions of the property.

Sometimes you can tell if you have a water leak behind your wall if you see or smell any of these things;

  1. Musty odours in a room or a corner of a room.
  2. A smell of sewage especially near a toilet. 
  3. Visible mould growing on a wall or ceiling.
  4. Staining or discolouring on the wall.
  5. Peeling or bubbling paint or wallpaper.
  6. Warped walls that you can see are not completely straight.
  7. Buckled ceilings and floors.

 

A number of tools and devices available at Nu-Trend can be used by our plumbers to find leaky pipes behind walls in order to detect water leaks. The approach our plumbers take to finding a leak on a specific property and in a given situation is different.

Therefore, the way we work depends on the location. An accumulation of moisture behind your wall could be resulting from a leaking pipe somewhere else in the property causing the moisture to accumulate in a wall there. Sometimes it may not always be obvious where the source of a leak is coming from, since water can flow through channels or along pipes in different ways depending on the gradient of their installations & the existing conditions of the property.

Why is the paint bubbling on your walls? What causes paint to bubble on a wall near a bathroom in an apartment

If you see paint bubbling on a wall then it is an indication there is moisture build-up. Read our guide  Why is Paint Bubbling On Walls to learn more about what is causing this to happen.

 

 

Infrared or thermal imaging can’t see or detect mould directly. What these tools can do though is identify changes in the moisture levels in an area like a floor or wall. Moisture in a building structure can lead to mould build up & indicate leaking water or pipes.

Bricks are porous so they will absorb any water that it comes in contact with. Most bricks can hold that water and eventually if that brick becomes saturated, then the water will flow through the brick. Generally, this won’t be cause for concern as there is always moisture in the air, even from our breathing. This is why laundry, kitchen and bathroom areas have to be waterproofed so that those rooms have a waterproof membrane to contain water from escaping into thes structure of the house.
 
The issue is when a pipe is leaking inside the walls and you can’t see it. Over time water can build up & cause lots of damage to timber framework, flooring or house foundations.
 

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Rick and Rob are the hands-on directors for Nu-Trend. Rather than hire sub-contractors and manage their business from a distant office, they are on the tools, at your site & working towards delivering your bathroom renovation or plumbing service. It means you are talking directly to the owners of the business, the guys who are accountable and responsible rather than via email or through customer service teams.

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Nu-Trend has been operating since 2009 as an independent bathroom renovation and plumbing contractor in Sydney. Rick and his team provide a wide range of services for home owners in houses, units, apartments or businesses.

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