The water bill jumped, the meter spins when no taps are open, but there's no visible water anywhere. That's a hidden leak — under the slab, in a wall cavity, under a back-yard garden bed, sometimes in a roof void. Prime Plumbing & Gasfitting uses acoustic and thermal leak detection to locate hidden leaks before walls or slabs are opened, so the eventual repair is targeted rather than exploratory.
Detection is generally cheap insurance against opening walls or cutting slab in the wrong place — the cost of detection is normally a small fraction of the cost of misdirected exploratory cuts. We quote the detection up-front, and if the leak turns out to be something boring (a visible service the owner missed), we'll say so and there's no repair to add.
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Before acoustic or thermal work, we pressure-test isolated sections of the property to confirm which line the leak is on. This often narrows the search from "somewhere on the property" to a specific section before detection equipment is brought out.
Acoustic detection picks up the high-frequency hiss of pressurised water escaping through a small hole — works well for slab and wall leaks. Thermal imaging picks up the temperature difference of leaked water (warm hot-water leaks are particularly visible). Used together, the two methods narrow most hidden leaks to a confined location, so the eventual repair is targeted rather than exploratory.
You get a written detection report — where the leak is, how it was located, what the recommended repair is, and a separate quote for the repair. The report is itself useful for insurance claims where the cause-of-loss needs documentation.
What changed? When did the water bill jump? Is the meter spinning when nothing's on? Are there warm spots on the floor, damp patches, hissing at taps? Five minutes of conversation usually narrows the leak type before any equipment comes off the van.
Where it helps narrow the search, sections of the property are pressure-tested in turn — typically the cold-water side and the hot-water side — to identify which carries the leak. This narrows the search dramatically before detection equipment is needed.
Acoustic gear is run along the affected line — under the slab, along walls, around the suspected zone. The leak signature peaks at the leak point. We mark the location and confirm with a second pass.
Thermal camera picks up temperature anomalies — particularly useful on hot-water leaks, which show as warm patches against cooler surroundings. Combined with the acoustic signature, the leak is usually narrowed to a small enough area to repair without exploratory cutting.
Once the leak location is confirmed, we quote the repair — slab cut, wall opening, external trench — separately and in writing. You decide whether to proceed with Prime Plumbing & Gasfitting for the repair or take the location report to another plumber. The detection stands on its own as a service.
Making sure your kitchen is prepared and ready for a gas cooktop installation saves everyone time. We've put together an in depth guide that details all the steps you can take for a seamless install: Gas Cooktop Installation Guide: Preparing Your Kitchen
Below are 4 points that we look for:
We help you select the right size and configuration for your space and cooking style.
We confirm whether your bench requires modification before installation begins.
Most gas cooktops need a power outlet for ignition. We check access and setup before installation.
Clear access to the workspace and gas meter allows us to complete your installation smoothly.
$300-$600 + GST for a typical residential leak detection — the variation is the time required, equipment used, and whether the leak is on a difficult section. On-site quote in writing — pricing depends on property type, leak location and time required.
Three common signs: water bill jumps without lifestyle change; meter dial spins when no taps are open; warm spots on the floor (hot water slab leak) or damp patches on walls. The first sign — the spinning meter — is the most diagnostic.
Yes, slowly. Slab leaks soak the slab and adjacent walls, eventually causing efflorescence and peeling paint. Wall-cavity leaks ruin plaster and timber framing. Underground service leaks erode soil and can cause settlement. The longer they run, the worse the secondary damage.
Rare on residential leaks, but it happens. If detection methods don't isolate the leak, we'll tell you that and not charge for a result we didn't deliver. Usually this means the leak is in a section we can't reach acoustically or thermally — sometimes the only path is staged exploratory excavation.
Most policies cover leak detection as part of the 'sudden-and-accidental' water damage cover, particularly when the detection report establishes the cause-of-loss. Worth asking your insurer before booking — sometimes they have a preferred detection contractor.
No. Detection works best on a property that's under normal pressure — that's how the leak signature shows up. We isolate sections during the test, but you don't need to do anything before we arrive.
Most residential leak detections finish inside 2 hours. Larger properties, multiple suspected zones, or leaks in difficult-access areas (under a deck, behind a wall behind a wardrobe) can run to 3-4 hours.
