An Introduction to Non-Destructive Plumbing Inspection

can you drink tap water

There are a lot of warning signs that there is something wrong with the pipes. It can take the form of gurgling, low water pressure, foul odors, sluggish drains or an unexpectedly high water bill. If there are wet spots on the floor or mold growing in one section of wall, the leak’s location is obvious. Unfortunately, it is rarely this obvious. Nor do you want someone to rip up your wall or floors looking for the leak. This is why non-destructive plumbing inspection was developed. Let’s look at some of the most common non-destructive plumbing inspection methods.

Thermal Imaging

Thermal imaging will be done with infrared cameras or lasers. This method looks for the thermal discrepancy created by a water leak. For example, the hot water pipe leak will heat up the area around the leak. A cold water leak can chill the walls of your home or floor. This won’t work in every case, such as when the water temperature is close to the ambient temperature. Nor will it find pools of water that are already at ambient temperature. On the flipside, it can give you an idea where mold is growing in the walls whether or not the leak that fueled it has been repaired. One downside with this approach is that it may falsely flag an area for leaking pipes when it is really a leak in the roof or excessive condensate trapped in the walls.

Electronic Line Locators

This method sends a controlled signal down the pipe. This doesn’t just tell them where the pipe is located and its depth. The variations in the signal will tell them whether there is a leak and roughly where it is. This method can work through slab foundations, concrete driveways and conventional drywall. One downside of this method is that it won’t work when the pipes won’t carry an electrical charge. For example, it is great for metal pipe but doesn’t always work with PVC and CPVC pipe.

CCTV Drain Inspection

A CCTV drain inspection is sometimes called a CCTV drain survey. What is a CCTV drain survey? A closed caption TV camera that is water-proof and made to fit in your plumbing pipes is sent down the pipes. The survey can locate leaks and blockages in water pipes, sewer pipes and wastewater lines. It can also determine the type of blockage, telling you if the issue is too much toilet paper flushed down the drain or tree roots invading the wastewater pipe.

There are other benefits to using CCTV, as well. It works equally well in all types of pipe. It won’t misdiagnose mold for leaks, and it can give you an idea as to the state of the pipes. Then you’ll know if you have a single pipe break or rust throughout the pipe network.

Hydrostatic Pressure Testing

Hydrostatic pressure testing can confirm there is a leak or blockage in a pipe. It can determine exactly which section of pipe has the leak. It may or may not tell you exactly where the leak or leaks are. This is often a lead in to sending a CCTV probe down the one line known to be bad to determine what the problem is.

EAN Content

Content shared by this account is either news shared free by third parties or sponsored (paid for) content from third parties. Please be advised that links to third party websites are not endorsed by Estate Agent Networking - Please do your own research before committing to any third party business promoted on our website. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Rent and run? Agents warn of new ‘Stopover Tenant’ epidemic

Nearly 1 in 3 letting agents report tenants walking away from 6–12 month tenancies – some after just a few months Experts warn rental reforms are fueling relocation-style, short-term renting Almost half of agents now advising landlords on how to manage early exits A new trend is sweeping the rental market and it’s leaving landlords…
Read More
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 11/09/25

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   A ‘workplace companion that’s not just about managing buildings’ Smart Spaces has launched Space Agent, its new agentic AI-driven workplace concierge designed to transform how people manage and engage with buildings and their workplaces. Space Agent – introduced through its friendly persona, Max – is fully…
Read More
Breaking News

Where can you still buy a home for under £150k?

Zoopla reveals Great Britain’s property bargain hotspots Just 12 per cent of all homes for sale across Great Britain are priced under £150,000 making location key for home buyers looking for a bargain In the North East, a remarkable 41 per cent of all homes for sale fall within this price range, followed by Scotland…
Read More
Breaking News

Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms

Landlord repossessions soar as Renters’ Rights Bill looms, with some areas seeing increase of over 2,500% The latest analysis from Dwelly, one of the UK’s leading lettings acquisition and success planning experts, shows that landlord repossessions have increased by 6.8% across England and Wales. However, in some areas of the country they have soared by…
Read More
Breaking News

These are Britain’s most active housing markets

New research from The Property DriveBuy reveals that the busiest homebuying postcodes in Britain right now are found in Croydon, Buckinghamshire and Waltham Forest, however, for those hopeful homebuyers facing tough competition, shifting to a neighbouring postcode could see them secure a property. The Property DriveBuy analysed latest housing market data to discover which of…
Read More
Breaking News

Downsizers can bag 2 for 1 on property purchases

The latest research from over-50s property specialists, Regency Living, reveals that downsizing retirees could own two homes for the price of one, combining a comfortable home in England with a sunny escape in Europe. According to Regency Living’s latest analysis, retirees who sell a traditional bricks and mortar house and purchase a park home can…
Read More