Leak Detection

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Licensed leak detection plumbers across Brisbane, Perth & Adelaide

G★★★★★
4.6 · 2,000+ Google reviews

A hidden water leak can waste thousands of litres, drive up your water bill, and quietly damage your home long before you see it. Professional leak detection finds the exact source of a leak, whether it is behind a wall, under the floor, beneath a concrete slab, or buried in the yard, without tearing your home apart to look for it. Our licensed plumbers use non-invasive equipment, acoustic listening devices, thermal imaging, pressure testing and moisture meters, to pinpoint the leak precisely, so the repair is targeted and the disruption is minimal. If you have a damp patch, a running water meter, or a water bill that has crept up, we find and fix the leak across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with an upfront fixed price.

Why choose Same Day Trades for leak detection

We are local, licensed and insured plumbers who do this work every day, so we get it right the first time, with no mess and no surprises on the invoice.

Fully licensed and insured plumbers
Upfront fixed pricing before we start
Same-day service where we can, with 24/7 phones
Workmanship guaranteed and the job left clean
Servicing Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide

Whatever the job, you get honest advice and a tidy, professional result.

What is leak detection?

Leak detection is the process of finding the exact location and source of a water leak, using specialised equipment rather than guesswork or digging. Many leaks are hidden, inside walls, under floors, beneath concrete slabs, or buried underground, so you see the effects (damp, a high bill, low pressure) without seeing the leak itself. Professional leak detection locates the precise spot the water is escaping, so the pipe can be repaired with the smallest possible access point, instead of opening up walls or digging trenches to find it. It is the essential first step to fixing any hidden leak quickly, accurately and with minimal damage to your home.

Signs you have a hidden leak

Hidden leaks often show themselves indirectly. Watch for:

A water bill that has crept up with no change in usage
Damp patches, stains or bubbling paint on walls, ceilings or floors
A musty smell or mould in a spot that is not a shower
The sound of running water when all taps are off
A drop in water pressure
Soggy or lush green patches in the yard, or warm spots on the floor
A water meter that keeps ticking over with everything off

Any of these is worth investigating, as a hidden leak only gets worse and more damaging the longer it is left.

Why professional leak detection matters

The old way to find a hidden leak was to open up walls, lift floors, or dig until the leak was found, which meant far more damage and repair than the leak itself. Professional leak detection changes that: by pinpointing the exact location first, we make only a small, precise access point to reach and repair the pipe. This saves money on wall, tile, floor and ground reinstatement, causes far less disruption, and means we fix the actual source, not just the first damp spot we find, which matters because water can travel a long way from the leak before it surfaces. Accurate detection is both faster and cheaper than guessing.

Our non-invasive detection methods

We use a combination of specialised, non-invasive equipment to locate leaks without damaging your home:

Acoustic listening devices that hear water escaping under pressure
Thermal imaging cameras that reveal the temperature difference of a wet area or a hot water leak
Pressure testing to confirm a leak and isolate which pipe is affected
Moisture meters to map dampness in walls and floors
Pipe and cable locators to trace the route of buried pipes

Using the right method, or combination, for each situation is how we pinpoint the leak precisely before any access or digging.

Acoustic leak detection

Acoustic leak detection is one of the most effective methods for pressurised water pipes. Water escaping from a pipe under pressure makes a distinctive sound as it sprays and hits the surrounding material, and our sensitive acoustic equipment picks up and amplifies that sound, letting our plumber trace it to the exact point of the leak, even through walls, floors and under concrete. By listening at different points, we can home in on the loudest spot, which is directly over the leak. Acoustic detection is particularly good for finding hidden and underground leaks on the water supply, and it is a core part of how we locate leaks accurately and non-invasively.

Thermal imaging

Thermal imaging cameras detect small differences in temperature, which makes them excellent for finding leaks. A leak creates a cooler (or, for a hot water leak, warmer) wet area on a wall, ceiling or floor that the camera can see even when nothing is visible to the eye. This lets us map the extent of a wet area and narrow down where the water is coming from, especially useful for leaks behind walls, under floors, and from hot water pipes. Thermal imaging is completely non-invasive, we simply scan the surface, and combined with acoustic detection and moisture meters, it helps us pinpoint the leak precisely before making any access.

Pressure testing

Pressure testing is used to confirm whether there is a leak and to isolate which part of the plumbing it is on. We isolate a section of the water system and apply pressure, then watch whether it holds; a pressure drop confirms a leak in that section. By isolating different parts of the system in turn, we can narrow the leak down to a particular line, for example the hot or cold supply, or a specific run of pipe. Pressure testing is especially useful for confirming a suspected leak behind the high water bill, and for directing the acoustic and thermal search to the right area, so the leak is found efficiently.

Finding leaks under concrete slabs

Leaks in pipes that run under a concrete slab, so-called slab leaks, are among the hardest to find and the most damaging if left, because the water is trapped under the floor and can undermine the slab. Breaking up the whole floor to find one is a last resort. Instead, we use acoustic detection, thermal imaging and pressure testing to pinpoint a slab leak precisely, so only a small, targeted section of the floor needs to be opened to reach and repair the pipe. Signs of a slab leak include a warm patch on the floor (hot water line), unexplained damp in the flooring, a running meter, and a high bill. We locate and resolve slab leaks with minimal disruption.

Underground and yard leaks

Leaks in buried pipes, the water service line from the meter to the house, or pipes running to taps, the garden or outbuildings, often show as soggy or lush green patches, water surfacing, low pressure, or a high bill, with no visible leak at all. Finding them without digging up the whole yard takes acoustic detection and pipe locating, which pinpoint the leak so we excavate only the exact spot. This saves your lawn, garden, paving and driveway from unnecessary digging. Underground leaks waste a lot of water and can undermine paths and foundations, so locating and repairing them promptly matters. We find and fix buried yard leaks accurately across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Leaks behind walls and ceilings

A leak from a pipe inside a wall or above a ceiling can cause serious hidden damage, rotting timber, ruining plaster, and breeding mould, before you notice more than a stain or a musty smell. Because the pipe is out of sight, we use acoustic detection, thermal imaging and moisture meters to pinpoint the leak behind the wall or ceiling, then make the smallest possible access to repair it, rather than opening up large areas guessing. A leak near electrical wiring or light fittings in a ceiling is also a safety risk, so these should be found and fixed promptly. We locate wall and ceiling leaks precisely and repair them with minimal damage.

The high water bill clue

One of the most common reasons people call for leak detection is a water bill that has jumped with no change in how they use water. A continuous hidden leak, especially underground or on the supply line, can waste a large volume of water that shows up clearly on the bill, often before any damp appears. If your bill has risen unexpectedly, a hidden leak is a likely cause. A simple check is to turn off all taps and appliances and watch the water meter, if it keeps ticking over, water is being lost somewhere. We then use leak detection to find exactly where, so the leak can be fixed and the waste and the bill brought back down.

Why accurate detection saves money

Investing in proper leak detection saves money in several ways. It avoids the cost and mess of exploratory digging or opening up walls and floors, because we locate the leak precisely and access only the exact spot. It stops the ongoing water waste and the high bills a hidden leak causes. It limits the damage, catching the leak before it rots structure, ruins finishes or undermines foundations. And it ensures we fix the actual source the first time, rather than guessing and missing it. For a relatively small cost, accurate detection prevents far larger expenses down the track, which is why it is always the smart first step with any hidden leak.

Common causes of hidden leaks

Hidden leaks develop for several common reasons: corrosion and age, as older metal pipes rust and weaken from the inside until they develop pinholes or cracks; high water pressure stressing pipes and joints; ground movement and tree roots, especially on buried pipes; failed or poorly made joints; and physical damage, such as a nail or screw driven into a pipe during renovations. Corrosion is the leading cause in older homes, because it builds slowly and invisibly until the pipe fails. A pinhole leak from corrosion often signals more are coming, so once we have found and fixed the leak, we will advise whether the pipework is ageing and worth planning to replace.

Licensed, guaranteed leak detection

Finding and fixing a hidden leak takes a licensed plumber with the right detection equipment and the experience to interpret it, so the leak is located accurately and repaired properly with minimal disruption. Our team is fully licensed and insured, we pinpoint the leak with acoustic, thermal, pressure and moisture equipment, repair the pipe, and can provide a report for your insurer, and we back our workmanship. You get accurate detection, minimal damage, upfront fixed pricing, same-day service where we can, and honest advice on the cause. For a plumber near you for leak detection, we cover Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide.

Leak detection FAQs

How do you find a hidden water leak?

We use non-invasive equipment, acoustic listening devices that hear water escaping, thermal imaging cameras that reveal wet areas, pressure testing, and moisture meters, to pinpoint the exact location of a hidden leak without digging up or opening your home unnecessarily.

Can you find a leak without damaging my home?

Yes. That is the whole point of professional leak detection. We locate the leak precisely first, so we make only a small, targeted access point to reach and repair the pipe, rather than opening up walls, floors or the yard to search for it.

Why is my water bill so high?

An unexplained high water bill is one of the most common signs of a hidden leak, often underground or on the supply line, wasting water continuously. We can confirm a leak with the water meter and pressure testing, then locate and fix it to stop the waste.

Can you detect leaks under a concrete slab?

Yes. We use acoustic detection, thermal imaging and pressure testing to pinpoint slab leaks (pipes leaking under a concrete floor), so only a small section of the floor needs to be opened to repair it, rather than breaking up the whole slab.

How do I know if I have a hidden leak?

Common signs are a rising water bill, damp patches or stains, bubbling paint, a musty smell or mould, the sound of running water with taps off, low water pressure, soggy patches in the yard, or a water meter that keeps ticking over when everything is off.

Do you repair the leak as well as find it?

Yes. We are licensed plumbers, so we both locate the leak and carry out the repair, replacing or repairing the affected pipe, and testing the result, all in the one visit where possible.

Will my insurance cover the leak damage?

Sudden water damage is often covered, while gradual damage from a long-ignored leak may not be. We can provide a report of the cause and the repair, plus photos, to support your claim.

Do you service my area?

Yes, we provide leak detection and repair across Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide, with same-day service where we can and 24/7 emergency response for major leaks.

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Janis Cumming

Thanks so much Bradley, I really appreciate the time you spent explaining so much to me that I had never known before. I am so pleased to have someone go through my meter box & help me understand it all incase I ever have the same issue! I won’t hesitate to call you at “Same Day Service” again next time! Jan. C.

Jayne Varnish

The guys were friendly efficient & cleaned up after completion perfectly. The qualified plumber Lachlan, spoke encouragingly explaining each procedure clearly to the apprentice. Both men were fun to have working at our house!

bill dear

Coda was fantastic did a great job

GFd Gail Gorton

Great speedy service, very friendly Job well done Highly recommend Jack for repair man

Ian Liddell

Diego and Kosta, greatly appreciate the great work you both did. Impeccable service and workmanship.

Davo Zillas

Jordan was super helpful with investigating our leaking issue

julee johnson

Jack was fabulous great guy 👍

Grace Vinci

I had my Safety switch/ circuit breakers replaced by Jesse. He was helpful, polite and thorough, explained and shown me what needed to be done. He was informative also explained all options available to me giving me a choice, which I appreciated. Before leaving Jesse also made sure everything was in working order before leaving the premises.