Acoustic Listening Survey
Using ground microphones and listening discs to detect the sound of water escaping from pressurized pipes through soil, concrete, and building materials.
How Acoustic Listening Survey Works
Acoustic listening is the most common method for locating underground and concealed leaks. Water escaping from a pressurized pipe generates a characteristic sound that travels through pipe walls and the surrounding medium. Using sensitive ground microphones mounted on tripods or handheld probes, our technicians walk systematic grid patterns over suspected pipe routes, listening through noise-cancelling headphones for the leak signature. Different pipe materials and soil conditions produce distinct acoustic signatures that experienced technicians can interpret. This method provides immediate feedback during the survey, allowing technicians to zero in on the leak location in real-time.
Applications in BC
- Underground water main and service line leak location
- Slab leak detection in concrete foundations
- Plumbing leak tracing within wall chases
- Fire sprinkler system leak detection
- Municipal water distribution surveys
Advantages
- Works through concrete, asphalt, and soil
- Immediate results during survey
- Cost-effective for initial screening
- Portable and easy to deploy
- Effective on all pressurized pipe materials
Limitations
- Less effective on plastic pipes that dampen sound
- Background noise can interfere with detection
- Requires experienced technician for interpretation
- Limited on low-pressure or non-pressurized systems
Equipment Used
- • Sewerin Phocus 3 correlator
- • Gutermann Gomberg 2 ground microphone
- • Mikros MD-100 listening disc
- • 3M Peltor noise-cancelling headphones
- • Aquascan AQ400 ground mic
Professional Acoustic Listening Survey in BC
LeakInspections.ca — a division of Anyleak.ca and Leak.ca. Call 604-239-9934.