A hidden pipe leak behind tiles or under a slab can run for months before it becomes visible — causing structural damage to walls, promoting mould growth, and driving water bills up by thousands of riyals per year. Our non-destructive leak detection methods find the leak source within 0.5–1.0 metre accuracy, allowing targeted excavation rather than wholesale tile removal across an entire room.
What's Included
Ground microphones and acoustic correlators pick up the sound signature of water escaping a pressurised pipe. The correlator compares the sound delay between two measurement points to triangulate the exact leak location in the pipe between them.
FLIR thermal camera shows temperature differentials in walls and floors caused by water movement from a leak. Effective for leaks in hot water pipes (which show clearly as heat signatures) and for leaks below slabs affecting ground-floor surface temperatures.
Nitrogen/hydrogen tracer gas injected into the pipe under pressure. Gas escapes at the leak point and diffuses upward through slab or tile to the surface, where it is detected with a hand-held sensor. Accurate to within 30cm.
System pressure isolation and monitoring — identifies which circuit (hot, cold, or heating) has the active leak, and which zone it is in. Prerequisite for acoustic detection in systems with multiple circuits.
Push-rod camera inspection of drain lines to identify blockages, root intrusion, pipe deformation, or joint failures causing water to escape the drain system and enter the building structure.
Boundary isolation test using the water meter to confirm the leak is on the building supply (meter still spinning with all taps closed) versus the mains supply pipe (outside the building).
How It Works
Pricing Guide
Acoustic leak detection survey (residential): SAR 350–600. Thermal imaging survey: SAR 400–700 (includes camera calibration and thermal report). Tracer gas test: SAR 500–800 per circuit. Combined full survey (acoustic + thermal): SAR 650–1,000. Detection survey fees are credited against repair invoice if we perform the repair. CCTV drain survey: SAR 400–800.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you find a leak without breaking any tiles in my Saudi villa?
In most cases, yes. Acoustic correlation and thermal imaging together locate the leak with enough accuracy for a single targeted access point rather than removing all tiles. For leaks under thick concrete slabs, tracer gas achieves 20–30cm accuracy so excavation is minimised to the exact leak location. We cannot guarantee zero excavation — but we regularly reduce excavation scope from 'the entire bathroom floor' to 'one 30×30cm tile.'
My water bill is high but I can't see any leak — could it be underground?
Yes, very common. A 3mm pinhole in a concealed supply pipe can lose 1,000–3,000 litres per day — 30,000–90,000 litres per month — with no visible wet patch above surface. The water soaks into the slab or soil beneath, sometimes emerging metres away from the leak source. If your meter spins with all taps off, you have an active concealed leak that needs detection.
How accurate is acoustic leak detection in Saudi Arabia?
Accuracy depends on pipe material and depth. For PPR or copper pipes in concrete slabs at 200–300mm depth, correlation accuracy is typically ±0.5m in a 20m pipe run. For deeper pipes or pipes surrounded by granular backfill (which disperses sound), we add tracer gas to achieve ±0.3m accuracy. For drain leaks (not pressure leaks), CCTV camera provides exact location regardless of depth.
The previous plumber broke the whole bathroom floor to find a leak — why can't you?
Traditional leak finding was systematic excavation — start at one end and keep going until you find it. Acoustic correlation technology (developed for municipal water networks finding leaks in buried mains) applies the same physics to building pipe networks. The acoustic sensor and signal processing that previously required expensive fixed installation equipment is now available in portable form that we bring to every survey.