When a sub-slab water leak is smaller than a pinprick, it may not produce sufficient acoustic sound for geophones to capture, and hot water thermal bloom might spread broadly across concrete. In these challenging situations, helium tracer gas testing is the most advanced diagnostic technique available.
The Physics of Helium Leak Detection
Helium is the second-smallest molecule in the universe, completely non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. Our plumbers drain the isolated pipe and inject a 95% nitrogen / 5% helium mixture under 30 PSI pressure.
The tiny helium molecules escape through the microscopic copper fissure and rise straight up through 6 inches of concrete, tile grout, and subfloor in minutes. Our electronic sniffer wand detects helium concentrations down to 1 part per million, pinpointing the leak location within 1 inch.