Mystery damp patch? Water bill suddenly spiked? We use thermal imaging, acoustic sensors and tracer gas to pinpoint leaks behind walls and under slabs — without breaking anything.
Water leak detection in Sydney finds hidden leaks behind walls and under slabs without demolition, using thermal imaging, acoustic ground microphones, hydrogen tracer gas, dye and pressure testing. AHHAC pinpoints leaks to within 5–10 cm, so the repair opening is as small as possible, and every job includes insurance-grade reporting and a same-day quote on the repair. Our team handles under-slab hot and cold water leaks, hydronic loop leaks and sewer joint failures across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Reviewed by the AHHAC Technical Team — licensed plumbers & hydronic engineers, NSW Lic 262528C.How we write & review
Leaks are sneaky. By the time you see a damp patch on the ceiling, the leak has been running for weeks and the damage is already done. Our specialist leak detection equipment finds leaks within centimetres — without breaking walls, lifting tiles or excavating slabs.
We arrive with a full kit: thermal imaging cameras, acoustic ground microphones, hydrogen tracer gas, dye testing and pressure testing rigs. We pick the right tool for the leak.
Hot/cold water under-slab leaks, hydronic loop leaks (very tricky — small water volume), sewer joint failures, roof and gutter leaks, swimming pool plumbing, irrigation line leaks.
Before you book water leak detection, a simple meter test tells you whether water is escaping on the mains side at all. Turn off every tap, appliance and irrigation controller, note the reading on your water meter, or photograph its small low-flow dial, then use no water for at least half an hour and check again. Any movement means water is going somewhere, and the next step is working out which system is losing it.
One common misread: a relief valve that drips whenever a heating system warms up is not always a leak. On hydronic systems it is often an undersized or flat expansion vessel, explained on our pressure vessels and expansion tanks page. Constant flow from a relief drain line is different and needs a plumber.
When we attend, we combine methods rather than rely on one. Thermal imaging shows hot leaks and wet areas, acoustic microphones pick up pressurised water escaping under a slab, and tracer gas finds small leaks that make almost no noise. You get a marked-up location and a written report to hand to your insurer. Many policies treat finding the leak and the resulting damage differently, so keep that report with your claim.
If water is already spreading across a floor or through a ceiling, shut it off at the meter and call our emergency plumbing callout line; we locate the leak once the damage has stopped. Damp along a boundary wall after rain is usually a drainage issue for our blocked drains and sewer pipes team.
Written from on-site experience by the AHHAC Technical Team.
AHHAC's in-house design and service team — licensed plumbers and hydronic engineers (Lic 262528C) who have designed and installed 2,400+ hydronic heating, cooling and hot water systems across Australia since 1998.
Every plumbing and hot water job is assessed on site, carried out by our own licensed plumbers and gasfitters to AS/NZS 3500 (plumbing) and AS/NZS 5601 (gas), pressure-tested and documented, and backed by ongoing service. Nothing is subcontracted out.
We pinpoint leaks within 5–10cm using thermal imaging, acoustic sensors and hydrogen tracer gas. That means we know exactly where to cut — not 'somewhere around here'. Less damage, faster repair.
Detection is non-invasive — no demolition needed to find the leak. Repair may require opening a small access panel, but we cut the smallest possible hole and patch it cleanly. Insurance-grade reporting included.
Yes — under-slab hot/cold water leaks, hydronic loop leaks (very tricky as they have small water volumes) and sewer joint failures are all in our daily caseload. We use combinations of pressure testing, tracer gas and thermal imaging to locate them.
"AHHAC delivered our 22-zone underfloor system on time, on budget and to spec. The crew were tidy, the documentation was thorough, and the commissioning was textbook."
"We've worked with AHHAC for 17 years. They've installed and serviced our hot water plant across three commercial buildings — and they pick up the phone on weekends."
"Three mobs quoted us; AHHAC's design was the only one based on a proper heat-loss calculation. The system runs beautifully — the others would've been oversized and expensive."