Yes. Acoustic listening, pipe testing, and trace gas work before any concrete is cut -- so when the deck is opened, the repair crew knows exactly where to go.
A broken pool pipe under the deck leaves no obvious surface clue. The pool loses water, the water goes somewhere underground, and the deck above looks completely normal. Without specialized equipment, the only way to find the break is to dig until you see it -- which means cutting large sections of concrete and removing them until the pipe is exposed. Leak detection changes that equation entirely.
An electronic pipe locator sends a signal into the plumbing line and reads it at the surface, showing exactly where the pipe runs under the concrete and how deep it is. This gives the technician a precise path to follow for all the steps that come next.
A ground microphone pressed against the deck detects the acoustic signal of a pressurized break traveling through soil and into the concrete. The technician moves along the pipe path, comparing signal strength at different points. The signal is loudest closest to the break. This identifies the general zone without opening any concrete.
Air is introduced into each plumbing line individually through LSL's custom manifold. The technician tests from multiple positions and runs multiple tests, verifying equipment between runs. The line that loses pressure is the broken one. Testing confirms which specific pipe is failing before any trace gas is used.
Trace gas is a specialized step -- not used on every job. When acoustic listening has identified a general zone and more precision or confirmation is needed, trace gas is introduced into the confirmed leaking line. The technician drills small strategic holes in the slab at intervals along the pipe path. These release points allow the gas to reach the sensor. The strongest signal identifies the zone. The shut-off confirmation -- continuing to sniff after the gas is turned off -- identifies the last location holding residual concentration, typically the origin area of the break.
The confirmed break zone is marked on the deck surface and documented in the report. The repair crew opens a targeted section of concrete at that mark rather than trenching along the entire pipe run. Less concrete removed means lower restoration costs and less disruption to the deck and landscaping.
The difference between detecting first and digging first is significant in terms of how much concrete is removed. A repair crew working without location information may need to open 10 to 20 feet of deck along a pipe run to find a break that is in a short section. With a confirmed break zone from acoustic listening and pipe testing -- and trace gas when used -- the opening can be much smaller. Smaller opening means lower repair cost, less deck restoration needed, and a faster overall repair.
Understand your water loss pattern before calling. These tools help confirm whether underground plumbing is likely involved.
Leak and Subsurface Locators locates the break zone before any concrete is removed. Call Sandra to schedule your visit.
Yes -- a repair company that starts cutting without a confirmed location is doing exploratory work at your expense. Every foot of concrete cut and removed adds labor and restoration cost. Paying for a leak detection visit first produces a confirmed zone that directs the repair crew exactly where to go. The total cost -- detection plus repair -- is almost always lower than exploratory excavation alone.
Most residential pool plumbing in South Florida runs 12 to 36 inches below the deck surface -- close enough to the surface for acoustic detection and trace gas to work effectively. Pipes that run deeper (below 3 to 4 feet) are less common in residential pools but do exist, particularly where plumbing runs under structures or was installed during renovations that added additional concrete.
Pavers are actually easier to work with than poured concrete in some ways -- individual pavers can be removed and replaced cleanly rather than concrete being cut and patched. For leak detection purposes, the process is the same. Ground microphone listening and trace gas work through paver bases. The acoustic signal and gas escape through the paver joints and sand base effectively.
In most cases, yes. An underground pool pipe break is typically a localized failure -- a cracked joint, a failed glue connection, a root intrusion point. The repair involves opening the concrete at the break location, cutting out the damaged section, replacing it, pressure testing the repair, and closing the concrete. The entire pipe run is not replaced unless multiple breaks are found or the line is in generally poor condition throughout.