Infrared Leak Detection

A leak investigation has two distinct phases. The first is reducing a whole building to a likely area; the second is reducing that area to a point. Infrared belongs in the first phase, because a technician can scan an entire room in minutes and see anomalies that would take much longer to find with a contact meter.

Once an anomaly is identified, the tools change: moisture meters quantify it, listening equipment locates pressurized escape, and pressure isolation proves which line is involved.

• Scanning a ceiling to find the wettest area above a stained section of drywall
• Following a hot-water line under tile to spot a warm anomaly
• Checking a floor for the boundary of a wet zone before drying equipment is placed
• Comparing a suspect wall against an identical adjacent wall as a control

Infrared cannot see through material, cannot measure depth, and cannot distinguish a wet stud from a cold one. Sun load, HVAC operation and reflective surfaces all create misleading images. Treated as a screening tool it is genuinely valuable; treated as proof it produces unnecessary demolition.