Leak detection using thermal imaging | Case Study

We were asked to investigate a damp patch that had appeared halfway up a wall in the bathroom.  There were no obvious pipes nearby and another company had already tried to find the cause but without success.  The home owners were frustrated as the damp patch was slowly getting bigger.

The damp patch was easy to see but there were no visible clues as to what was causing it:

Our engineer from Trace and Access Experts felt the correct start point was to use Thermal Detection.  He was absolutely correct; the below thermal image showed a noticeable temperature difference below and above the damp patch.  Could this be a hidden pipe?

All hot and cold taps were then switched on and left to run for a few minutes and the area was then examined again – a definite hot spot was immediately noticeable some distance above the damp patch:

This looked promising! A very small amount of plaster was removed to reveal the leaking pipe:

Once the leak had been exposed, it was simple to repair the pipe and redecorate with the minimum of mess and disruption.  The home owners were delighted as they had expected the whole wall would have had to have been stripped back causing lots of disruption and dust.

If you have an unexplained damp patch issue, and you feel we at Trace and Access Experts can help? Please send us an email or call our office, it would be our pleasure to help you.