Tracer Gas Leak Detection in Devon
When a leak hides underground, behind a wall or in a low-pressure run, sound alone can fall short. Tracer gas detection pinpoints the exact escape point precisely and without guesswork, so repairs stay small and your home stays intact.
- Non-Destructive Detection
- Same-Week Appointments Often Available
- Insurance-Approved Reports
- Over 95% First-Visit Success
What Is Tracer Gas Leak Detection?
Tracer gas detection is a proven, precise way to find water leaks that sound-based methods struggle with. A safe mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen is introduced into the affected pipe. Because hydrogen is the lightest gas there is, it rises and escapes through the smallest opening, travelling up through soil, screed or plasterwork to the surface above the leak. Our engineers then sweep the area with a sensitive gas detector and read the exact point where the gas emerges, marking the leak to within a few centimetres.
This technique comes into its own when a leak is buried beneath a driveway, hidden under a concrete floor, sitting on a low-pressure or gravity-fed run, or tucked into an awkward void where acoustic listening returns little. Heating systems, mains supplies, underfloor pipework and outdoor service lines are all common candidates. By isolating and charging the suspect section, we confirm not just that a leak exists but precisely where it is, before anything is lifted, cut or opened up.
The gas we use is non-toxic, non-flammable in this blend and completely safe for use in and around the home. It leaves no residue and dissipates harmlessly once testing is complete. The result is a confident, evidence-backed diagnosis that keeps disruption to the absolute minimum and lets any repair be targeted exactly where it is needed.
- An unexplained rise in your water bill
- A leak you can hear or suspect but cannot pinpoint
- Damp patches on floors, walls or driveways
- Pressure loss on heating or mains pipework
- A buried or low-pressure pipe acoustic methods can't trace
How We Find the Leak
Tracer Gas
A safe hydrogen-nitrogen mix is fed into the isolated pipe. The gas rises through soil or flooring and escapes at the leak, where our detector reads it, pinpointing the fault on buried, awkward or low-pressure runs.
Acoustic Detection
Sensitive ground microphones and correlators listen for the distinctive sound of water escaping under pressure. We often pair acoustics with tracer gas to confirm a find and narrow it down before any excavation.
Thermal Imaging
A thermal camera reveals the subtle temperature differences a leak leaves behind, cool patches from escaping water or warm tracks from heating pipes, helping us map the affected area without lifting a single tile.
Why Devon Homeowners Choose Us
- Local to Devon, engineers who know the area and reach you fast
- Minimal disruption, we find the leak before anything is opened up
- Insurance-approved reports, clear documentation for your claim
- Clear, no-obligation quotes, you know the cost before we start
Tracer Gas Leak Detection Across Devon
We provide tracer gas leak detection right across Devon, with engineers covering Exeter, Plymouth and Barnstaple, as well as the wider county and into neighbouring Cornwall where it helps. Wherever you are, we aim to offer same-week appointments often available and a precise, non-destructive diagnosis.
Tracer Gas Leak Detection FAQs
Yes. We use a blend of hydrogen and nitrogen that is non-toxic and non-flammable in this mixture. It is widely used for leak detection in occupied homes, leaves no residue, and disperses harmlessly once testing is finished, so there is nothing to clean up afterwards.
Tracer gas shines on buried, awkward or low-pressure pipework, where there is little sound for acoustic equipment to pick up. Because the gas physically rises to the surface at the escape point, it can pinpoint leaks that listening methods struggle to locate accurately.
No. Tracer gas detection is non-destructive. We isolate and charge the suspect pipe, then trace the gas to the surface to mark the exact spot. Any repair that follows can be targeted precisely, keeping excavation and disruption to a minimum.
We aim to offer same-week appointments often available, including Exeter, Plymouth and Barnstaple. When you call, we will discuss your situation and arrange a convenient visit as soon as we can, prioritising leaks causing active damage.
Yes. We provide clear, insurance-approved reports documenting our findings and the location of the leak. These give your insurer the evidence they need and help your claim or repair proceed smoothly and without unnecessary delay.
Related Services
Suspect a Hidden Leak? Let's Find It.
Book a same-week tracer gas survey across Devon. Precise, non-destructive and backed by an insurance-approved report.