Engineers listen for the leak through floor, drive or lawn, and open up only where it is loudest.
Monday to Friday, 7:30am to 6:30pm. Calls go to ADI Leak Detection’s office.
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Listening survey Example: supply pipe under a block-paved drive
Level logged at each stop:
Stop 1 of 9. Level 11. Start of the pipe run by the house.
A listening stick on the stopcock, meter or an exposed pipe checks whether the leak is making a sound it can follow, and which end of the run is louder.
A ground microphone goes down at regular stops above the pipe. Levels are logged, and the stops close in where they climb.
Tracer gas or a second pass checks the loudest point. The aim is to lift only that small area, and the engineer can repair the pipe if you want it done.
Every photo here was taken by an ADI engineer on a job.
Listening needs a pipe under pressure. Here is how it does on the leaks people call about most.
| Leak | Listening | What that means |
|---|---|---|
| Water supply pipe under a drive, path or lawn | Works well | Metal pipe carries the hiss well. Blue plastic pipe is quieter, so stops are closer and tracer gas often confirms. |
| Copper pipe in a concrete or screed floor | Works well | Solid floors carry sound, so the leak can often be narrowed to a tile or two. |
| Central heating losing pressure | Works when pressurised | The system is brought up to pressure, with water or air, so the leak can be heard. |
| Swimming pool pipework | Works with other tests | A hydrophone listens in the water; dye and pressure tests confirm each line. |
| Underfloor heating | Needs help | Plastic loops blur the sound. Air pressure and thermal imaging usually lead. |
| Drains, gutters, roofs | Not suited | Not under pressure, so they leak quietly. Cameras, dye and moisture mapping are used. |
With the supply back on and the pipe under pressure, the engineer moved a ground microphone across the tarmac and listened for the sound of escaping water. It picked up a strong, clear leak signal at one point, and the dig was made there. This was the only locating method used before digging.
Found: A leak on a 25mm metal water supply pipe buried under the tarmac near the front of the house.
Read the full case
A hot water cylinder kept making a noise and a pressure test on the hot feed pipework failed. Listening with a ground microphone found a leak under the corridor floor, then a second under the bathroom floor after the first repair, and both were fixed.
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A home swimming pool was losing water, and faster when the pump was running. A hydrophone in the skimmer pot picked up leak noise, and the investigation found a cracked skimmer body and a cracked glued joint in the filtration pipework.
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A newly fitted combi boiler would not hold pressure. Listening picked up leak noise at the boiler and kitchen radiator, and a ground microphone survey under air pressure marked one spot on the kitchen floor, where a leaking tee joint was found and repaired.
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“He then narrowed it down further with acoustic testing and located the leak, albeit after 3 hours of dedicated work.”
4.7 Excellent on Trustpilot from 1,620 reviews of ADI Leak Detection
All 16 reviews that mention acoustic or sound testing“He was able to pin-point it to within 5 cm's - truely astonishing !!!. Adam then used wall water guages and listening equipment…”
“Robert attended and carried out both tracer gas and acoustic testing, and was able to locate the leak quickly and accurately.”
More answers about the method and the visit.
The listening itself does no damage. The microphones sit on the surface or touch pipe fittings, though the engineer may lift an access hatch to listen closer. Once the leak is located, a small area is opened to reach the pipe, and the aim is to keep that to one spot.
Often, yes, but plastic pipe (the blue MDPE used for many supply pipes, and the plastic used in underfloor heating) carries sound less well than copper, lead or iron. The hiss fades faster, so the engineer listens at closer intervals and usually confirms the spot with a second method such as tracer gas before anything is opened.
Yes. A leak only makes a useful sound when water or air is being pushed out of it. Mains supply pipes are already under pressure. A heating system that has lost pressure may need topping up for the survey, and some pipes are pressurised with air so the escape can be heard. Drains and gutters are not under pressure, so listening is the wrong tool for them.
Not usually. On most visits it is one of several methods. A pressure test proves there is a leak and which section it is on, listening narrows it down, and tracer gas or thermal imaging can confirm the spot. When two methods point at the same place, the engineer can open up with confidence.
Yes, if you want it done. On many of the jobs on this site the engineer opened up the spot, replaced the damaged section and pressure tested the repair. What is possible depends on where the pipe is, so ask when you call.
Yes. ADI writes up what was tested, what was found and where, with photographs, in a report you can send to your insurer if you are making a claim.
Acoustic Leak Detection, a specialist service from ADI Leak Detection. When you call, ADI’s office team answers, and an ADI engineer carries out the survey. ADI Leak Detection has been finding hidden leaks since 2011 and has 25+ engineers covering England, Scotland and Wales.
ADI Leak Detection is a trading name of ADI Leak Solutions Ltd, company number 15870765.
About the service
