What leak Detection covers
Leak detection traces water back from where it shows inside a building to where it enters the envelope. The two are often in different places, because water travels along beams, behind renders and down cavities before it becomes visible. Finding the entry point is what makes a repair hold.
Leak detection traces water back from where it shows inside a building to where it enters the envelope. The two are often in different places, because water travels along beams, behind renders and down cavities before it becomes visible. Finding the entry point is what makes a repair hold.
Tracing water back to where it actually enters, rather than repairing the place where it appears.
Waystar carries out this work on residential and commercial property in Brooklyn and across New York City. Every project starts with a look at the building, and the scope, the materials and the figures are written down before anything begins.
When might you need it?
These are the signs owners usually notice first.
- A leak that has been repaired more than once and keeps returning
- Damp appearing a long way from any obvious defect
- Water that only shows in wind driven rain from one direction
- Staining that moves along a ceiling rather than staying put
- Nobody able to say with confidence where the water is getting in
What the work involves
- Interior review of where and when the water appears
- Exterior survey of the roof, junctions, parapets and penetrations
- Checking the elements above and around the internal damp
- Water testing sections in sequence where access allows
- Photographic record of the entry point once identified
- A clear repair recommendation tied to what was found
How the process works
Understand the pattern
When the water appears, and in what weather, narrows the search considerably.
Survey above and around
The entry point is usually uphill of the stain, sometimes by a surprising distance.
Test in sequence
Where access allows, sections are wetted one at a time so the source is isolated rather than guessed.
Report and recommend
You get photographs of the entry point and a repair scope aimed at it.
What you get
- Repairs aimed at the cause instead of the symptom
- An end to repeated repairs that never quite work
- Evidence of what was found rather than an opinion
What affects the scope
- How many possible entry points sit above the internal damp
- Whether the leak is weather dependent and needs the right conditions
- Access to the areas that need testing
- Whether previous repairs have masked the original route
This is a preliminary planning range, not a quote. A property visit is required before any price is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Can you always find it?
Usually, and sometimes it takes more than one visit because some leaks only show in specific wind and rain. We will tell you if that is the case rather than guessing to close the job.
Is the leak always in the roof?
No. Parapets, failed pointing, blocked gutters, window heads and penetrations all produce leaks that read as roof leaks from inside.
Do I need detection or can you just repair it?
If the source is obvious, repair it. Detection is worth it when the source is not obvious or when previous repairs have failed.
Services often needed alongside this
This service is part of Roofing.
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