Leak Detection

Welcome back to Happi Plumbing Channel. We will share another interesting plumbing case with you all.
Client’s concerns: there was water all under the indoor flooring, and we needed to locate the source of the leak.

There was water all under the master bathroom floor. When stepping on it, water would come up. The living room flooring was also buckling and lifting.

Step 1: Water meter test

We first checked the water meter to determine whether the leak was coming from the domestic water supply lines.

After closely monitoring the meter, we observed no change in the meter reading during more than 20 minutes of testing, which ruled out a supply line leak.

Step 2: Thermal camera & moisture inspection

We used a thermal camera to scan the floors, walls, and ceilings to locate a possible leak source.

We used a thermal camera to scan the floors, walls, and ceilings to locate a possible leak source.
A blue (cold) area was detected at the corner of the master bathroom ceiling, which could indicate a leak—or simply be caused by outdoor temperature differences.

To confirm, we used a moisture detector, which showed the ceiling was dry, ruling out an attic leak.

Step 3: Hot water test & leak location

We then performed a hot water test and continued scanning with the thermal camera.

The homeowner, who is an engineer, provided a floor plan showing the areas where water was present under the flooring (marked in blue).
Based on the layout and thermal patterns, I suspected the leak was coming from the guest bathroom shower (marked in red).

The thermal camera confirmed hot water leaking behind the shower spout.
During shower use, hot water was continuously leaking inside the wall and traveling underneath the floors to the master bathroom and living room.
The leak source was successfully identified.

The homeowner was extremely happy and mentioned that six plumbers had previously attempted to locate the leak without success.
Some recommended cutting holes in the tub, while others used acoustic equipment and spent over four hours without finding the leak.
Happi Plumbing located the leak in under 30 minutes.

Step 4: Repair

We replaced the shower spout to eliminate the leak.

After removing the old spout, we discovered that the opening behind it was not properly sealed. Once the spout failed, water was able to flow directly into the wall cavity during shower use.

We resealed the opening with silicone and installed a new spout.

A final hot water thermal camera test confirmed that the spout was no longer leaking.

Next steps

The homeowner will use our report to file an insurance claim for water damage restoration.

After more than a month of frustration, the leak issue was finally resolved.
The customer was VERY HAPPI 😊