Leak Detection Glossary
Clear, factual definitions of the technologies, leak types and insurance terms you'll encounter when dealing with a water leak in British Columbia.
Leaks.ca is the educational leak detection hub and service-support division of Leak.ca, helping BC property owners understand leak risks and connect with professional detection services when needed.
Technologies
Acoustic Leak Detection
A method that uses highly sensitive ground microphones and electronic amplifiers to detect the sound a pressurized leak makes as water escapes a pipe. Technicians compare the loudness and frequency along a line to pinpoint the source, often to within inches, even through concrete or soil.
Related serviceThermal Imaging (Infrared Thermography)
Use of an infrared camera to read surface temperature differences. Because water and moisture change how a surface heats and cools, a trained thermographer can see the footprint of a hidden leak behind drywall, under flooring or across a roof without contact.
Related serviceGround-Penetrating Radar (GPR)
A non-destructive imaging technique that sends radar pulses into concrete or soil and records the reflections to map what lies beneath — pipes, rebar, post-tension cables, voids and conduit — before any cutting or excavation.
Related serviceTracer Gas Detection
A method in which a safe, inert tracer gas (typically a hydrogen/nitrogen blend) is introduced into an empty or pressurized line; the gas escapes at the leak and rises to the surface, where a sensitive detector locates it. Especially useful for buried, drained or otherwise silent lines.
Related serviceLeak Noise Correlator
An instrument that places two acoustic sensors on a pressurized pipe and uses the time difference between the leak sound reaching each sensor to calculate the leak's position mathematically. The standard tool for locating leaks on long water mains.
Related serviceMoisture Mapping
The systematic use of pin and pinless moisture meters, plus mapping, to chart where and how deeply water has penetrated building materials — defining the true extent of affected area for drying, repair and insurance.
Related serviceVideo Pipe Inspection (CCTV)
Insertion of a waterproof camera on a flexible rod into drains, sewers or accessible pipes to visually confirm cracks, breaks, root intrusion, corrosion and blockages, and to record their exact location and depth.
Related serviceDrone Thermal Inspection
Aerial survey of large or steep roofs and building envelopes using a drone fitted with a radiometric thermal camera, allowing moisture-laden areas to be identified safely and efficiently from above.
Related serviceUtility Locating
The process of detecting and marking buried services — water, gas, electrical, telecom — using electromagnetic locators and GPR before excavation or scanning, to avoid striking them.
Related servicePressure Testing
Isolating a section of plumbing and monitoring whether it holds pressure. A drop confirms a leak exists in that section and helps narrow its location without excavation.
Leak Types
Slab Leak
A leak in a water or drain line running beneath or within a building's concrete foundation slab. Because the pipe is encased in concrete, slab leaks require acoustic and GPR methods to locate without breaking up the floor.
Related serviceUnderground / Service-Line Leak
A leak on a buried supply, irrigation or service line between the municipal connection and the building, or across a property. Located with correlation, acoustic and tracing methods to avoid trenching the entire line.
Related servicePinhole Leak
A tiny perforation in a copper supply line caused by internal corrosion. Pinhole leaks release small amounts of water that can cause significant hidden damage over time before being noticed.
Building-Envelope Leak
Water intrusion through the exterior shell of a building — walls, windows, roof, balconies or cladding — rather than from internal plumbing. A leading concern in BC's wet-coast and high-rainfall regions.
Related serviceInter-Unit (Strata) Leak
A leak in a multi-unit building where water crosses the boundary between a private unit and common property or a neighbouring unit, raising questions of responsibility under the strata plan and insurance.
Non-Revenue Water
Treated water that a utility produces but never bills for — much of it lost to leaks in distribution mains and service connections. Acoustic surveys and correlation help municipalities recover it.
Related serviceBuilding & Damage
Water Table
The level below which the ground is saturated with water. A high water table — common on the Fraser delta and in floodplain communities — increases crawlspace, slab and foundation moisture risk.
Freeze-Thaw
The repeated freezing and thawing of water that drives burst pipes and cracking. A dominant leak cause in BC's Interior, Kootenay and Northern communities, where winters bring deep ground frost.
Crawlspace Moisture
Dampness accumulating in the unfinished space beneath a floor, driven by ground water, leaks or poor drainage. Left unaddressed it feeds mould, wood rot and reduced indoor-air quality.
Post-Tension Slab
A concrete slab reinforced with high-tension steel cables. Any coring or cutting must be preceded by GPR scanning to locate and avoid the cables — striking one is dangerous and costly.
Related serviceEfflorescence
The white, powdery mineral deposit left on concrete or masonry as water moves through it and evaporates. It is a visible indicator that water has been migrating through the material.
Mould Growth
Fungal growth that develops on persistently damp materials, typically within 24–72 hours of sustained moisture. A common consequence of undetected leaks and a driver of indoor-air-quality concerns.
Insurance & Process
Non-Invasive Detection
Locating a leak without cutting, digging or demolition, using acoustic, thermal, gas and radar tools. The goal is to confine any opening to the small, confirmed source rather than exploratory damage.
Adjuster-Ready Report
Documentation prepared to the standard an insurance adjuster expects: the leak's location and cause, the extent of moisture, and supporting images and readings — the evidence base for a clean claim.
Related servicePre-Purchase Leak Inspection
A moisture and leak assessment carried out before buying a property, identifying hidden water issues that affect value, negotiation and future maintenance.
Related serviceResulting Damage
An insurance concept distinguishing the damage water causes (often covered) from the failed component itself (often not). Professional documentation helps establish the sequence for a claim.
Related serviceStill have questions about a leak?
Hidden leaks rarely reveal themselves until the damage is done. If you suspect a leak, a certified technician can locate it non-invasively and document it for insurance. Leaks.ca is the educational division — for booking and on-site detection across British Columbia, our service partner Leak.ca handles professional assessments.
Educational hub & service-support division of Leak.ca · Serving all of British Columbia · Since 1999