UNDERSTAND THE TEST
Leak Detection Methods: Questions to Ask
Different tests answer different questions. Ask what a proposed method can establish, what could limit it and how the result will guide the next step.
Begin with the question being tested
Is the visit intended to confirm unexplained water use, narrow the problem to part of the system, locate a likely source or plan access for a repair? Those are related tasks, but they are not interchangeable. A useful explanation connects the proposed test to the question it is meant to answer.
Ask about the scope of each method
| Method discussed | Useful question | Clarify the limit |
|---|---|---|
| Meter or flow observation | What water use was paused or accounted for? | How could automatic or shared use affect the observation? |
| Pressure or isolation testing | Which part of the system is included in this test? | What remains outside the tested section? |
| Acoustic listening | What conditions make listening useful at this property? | How will the suspected location be checked? |
| Thermal imaging | What temperature pattern is being investigated? | What additional evidence is needed to confirm moisture or a plumbing source? |
| Moisture assessment | Which materials and areas were checked? | Does the result identify moisture, its source or both? |
This is an appointment discussion guide, not a procedure for conducting pressure tests or opening a water system. Let the professional explain which methods are appropriate for the property.
A thermal image is one piece of evidence
FLIR describes using temperature differences to identify patterns that may be associated with water. The camera does not see moisture through a wall. Ask how the operator will distinguish a temperature anomaly from a confirmed moisture problem and how other observations support the interpretation.
Home monitoring is a different tool
EPA WaterSense describes leak detection and flow monitoring devices that can alert a homeowner to possible water problems. When considering one, ask what it monitors, how alerts arrive, whether it can shut off water and what maintenance it needs. An alert and a professional location report serve different purposes.
Questions about leaks beneath a slab
Ask what evidence points to a water-supply issue beneath the slab, what area has actually been tested and how the suspected source will be checked before access work is proposed. Locating a likely source and opening concrete for a repair are separate decisions.
Questions about pool water loss
Tell a prospective specialist whether your concern is pool water level, connected plumbing or another supply line. Ask whether that specialist investigates the relevant part of the pool system and what the visit covers. A household meter observation alone does not determine the cause of a falling pool level. This resource does not claim that the linked service provider offers pool-specific testing; confirm that scope directly.
Ask for a useful explanation of the result
- What did the test establish?
- What is still uncertain or outside the test scope?
- Is a location being marked, and what confidence or limitations apply?
- What additional access or testing is proposed?
- What record will be provided for a repair contractor?
The repair decision checklist helps separate the test findings from the next access, repair and restoration decisions.
For a provider’s description of available testing in Georgia, see Georgia Water Leak Detection’s service information. Confirm the appropriate scope directly with the provider.
Sources & further reading
- FLIR: Water leak detection with thermal imaging
- EPA WaterSense: Leak Detection and Flow Monitoring Devices
Sources are linked for context. They do not endorse this publication.