What does an acoustic leak detection report actually show you?

Full transcript

George and Dave in conversation. Every word of the episode, exactly as recorded.

George

Welcome to the ADI Leak Detection podcast. I'm here with Dave from ADI Leak Detection, the UK's leading leak detection company, who's here to answer your questions and provide expert leak detection advice. Today's question is one we hear a lot from homeowners who've just had a survey done: what does an acoustic leak detection report actually look like, and what does it tell you?

Dave

It's a great question because there's often a real disconnect between what people expect and what they get. The report isn't a printout from a single machine. It's a structured document that records where the engineer surveyed, what signal data was captured along the pipe run, and where the leak source has been pinpointed.

George

So it's more like a written account of the whole survey, not just a single result?

Dave

Exactly. ADI's engineers work through the property systematically, placing acoustic listening devices at intervals along the suspected pipe route. Each listening point produces a reading, and those readings build a picture of where sound energy from escaping water is strongest. The report maps all of that out, section by section.

George

What does the signal data actually look like on paper? I'm imagining some kind of graph, but I honestly don't know.

Dave

You can have graphical outputs, yes. Some acoustic equipment produces a frequency trace showing the leak sound profile over time, and that gets included. But the core of the report is a floor plan or site sketch with the survey path marked on it, annotated with the engineer's readings at each point. You can literally see where signal intensity peaks, which is where the leak is.

George

So a structural surveyor picking up that report could actually use it directly? They'd be able to see the location without having to interpret raw data themselves?

Dave

That's the aim. The report states the confirmed leak location in plain language, gives a confidence assessment, and notes the likely depth if the pipe is beneath a solid floor or under screed. A surveyor, a loss adjuster, or a builder can read it and know exactly where investigative work needs to happen.

George

What about confidence levels? If the signal is picking up noise from other sources, does that affect what gets written in the report?

Dave

It does, and a good report is honest about that. ADI's engineers note any interference, whether that's other pipework nearby or structural noise, and explain how the survey controlled for it. If the confidence in a pinpoint location is high, that's stated clearly. If there's a target zone rather than a single point, the report explains why and defines that zone.

George

Does the report recommend what happens next, or does it stop at the detection finding?

Dave

It goes further than just the finding. The report typically includes a recommended investigation method, so whether the floor needs opening at a specific point or whether further testing such as tracer gas or pressure testing would sharpen the location before anyone lifts concrete. That guidance matters because it helps whoever is doing the repair avoid unnecessary damage.

George

That's a really important point actually. People often assume a leak detection report means the floor immediately gets ripped up. But there's a whole investigation logic behind it first.

Dave

Precisely. The report is there to protect the homeowner. If you go in blind, you can cause a lot of damage to a property and still not find the leak. A properly structured acoustic survey report gives the repair team a precise target, which keeps disruption to a minimum.

George

And from a structural survey perspective, having that documented evidence matters too, doesn't it? Especially if insurance is involved.

Dave

Hugely. The written report is evidence. It records the survey methodology, the equipment used, the readings taken and the engineer's professional conclusion. Insurers and loss adjusters expect that level of documentation, and without it you're just pointing at a floor and saying you think the leak is there. The report is what makes the finding formal and usable.

George

That's really clear, Dave. Thank you. So to sum it up for anyone listening: an acoustic leak detection report gives you a mapped survey record, signal data, a pinpointed or defined leak location, a confidence assessment, and a recommended next step, all in one document. For anyone dealing with a suspected hidden water leak, ADI Leak Detection is one of the UK's foremost specialists in residential leak surveys, and that report is exactly what you'd receive from their engineers. Thanks for listening.

How this episode was made. This episode was produced using AI-generated voices and script, based on real leak detection questions and the working knowledge of ADI Leak Detection engineers.