Thermal Imaging Leak Detection in BC

What is thermal imaging leak detection?

Thermal imaging leak detection uses infrared (IR) cameras to find leaks by the temperature difference water creates. Every object emits infrared radiation proportional to its temperature. An IR camera converts that radiation into a visible image — usually a gradient from cool (blue/black) to warm (red/yellow/white) — that shows temperature patterns the naked eye can’t see.

Water in the wrong place almost always shows up as a thermal anomaly. A hot-water supply line leaking under a kitchen tile creates a warm streak on the floor. A cold-water line dripping into a wall cavity creates a cool patch on the drywall as it evaporates. A roof membrane leak shows up as a darker (cool) blotch on a sun-warmed roof because the moisture-laden insulation underneath stays cooler than the dry sections. None of these patterns are visible to the eye; all of them are unmistakable through an IR camera.

AnyLeak has used thermal imaging across BC since the technology became practical — from finding radiant heat slab leaks in heritage Vancouver homes to mapping post-flood moisture in commercial buildings to roof scans on multi-tenant warehouses. The cameras have gotten better; the diagnostic skill is what makes the method work.

How thermal detection works

The physics: every object emits infrared light

Infrared radiation is the part of the electromagnetic spectrum that humans feel as heat. Any object above absolute zero emits it; the warmer the object, the more it emits. An IR camera has a sensor (typically a microbolometer array) that’s sensitive to long-wave infrared in the 8–14 micrometre range, which is where most building-temperature objects radiate. The sensor converts the IR intensity at each pixel to a numerical temperature reading, and software renders that as a colour gradient on the display.

What the camera shows isn’t the leak itself — it’s the temperature pattern caused by the leak. Water carries heat away (or brings it) at a much higher rate than dry building materials. A hot-water leak warms the surface above it; a cold-water leak cools the surface around it as evaporative cooling kicks in; standing moisture inside a wall changes the wall’s thermal mass and shows as a slow-to-equalize patch when ambient temperature changes.

What the tech is looking for

The signal we look for isn’t a single colour — it’s a pattern. Specifically: a localized temperature anomaly that doesn’t match the building’s known thermal layout. Studs in a wall show as cool verticals because they conduct heat differently from insulation; that’s normal. A horizontal warm streak inside a wall cavity where there shouldn’t be one — that’s a hot-water leak. A cool circular blotch on a ceiling under a flat roof — that’s wet insulation from a roof membrane leak.

Reading thermal images well requires understanding what the building should look like, then identifying what shouldn’t. That’s the part 25 years of BC building experience makes a difference.

When thermal differential is and isn’t enough

Thermal needs a temperature difference between the leak and its surroundings. Strong differentials — hot water in a cool slab, cold water in a warm interior, sun-heated roof over wet insulation — produce clear images. Marginal differentials — cold water in an unheated crawlspace in February — produce ambiguous ones. When we get to a site and conditions don’t favour thermal, we pivot. Our techs carry acoustic and electronic tracer gas equipment as backup.

When thermal imaging is the right call

Thermal is the lead method or critical complement for these scenarios:

• Hot-water supply leak. Strongest thermal signal; nearly always findable by scan.
• Radiant heat line breach in a concrete slab. Hot lines show clearly through the slab when the system is up to temperature.
• Roof membrane leaks on flat or low-slope roofs. Sun-heated roof + cool wet insulation underneath = clear pattern. Best scanned mid-to-late afternoon on a sunny day.
• Post-flood moisture verification. After a flood is cleaned up, was it actually dried? Thermal scan shows residual moisture in walls and floors.
• Building envelope moisture intrusion. Water entering through exterior walls, windows, or cladding. Thermal maps where the moisture is migrating.
• HVAC duct leaks. Conditioned air escaping into wall cavities shows up clearly.
• Hot-water tank or boiler leaks behind panels. Where access is difficult, thermal sees through panels.

Thermal is a poor fit when there’s no thermal differential between the leak and its surroundings. Cold-water slow seeps on cold floors in winter often need acoustic or tracer gas instead.

Real-world examples from BC properties

Radiant heat slab leak in a West Vancouver home

Homeowner reported one zone of their radiant in-floor heat wouldn’t hold pressure. The system covered the entire main level under polished concrete. Trenching the slab to find the leak would have been catastrophic. We arrived with the system pressurized and at temperature. The thermal scan took 40 minutes; the leak showed as a clear warm crescent in the south corner of the dining room, about 1.5 metres from the exterior wall. A repair contractor opened a 30×30 cm section, found the failed PEX coupling, repaired in place, and re-poured the concrete. Damage was localized to a single tile-sized area.

Flat roof membrane leak on a Burnaby warehouse

Property manager reported drips in the warehouse office during heavy rain. The roof above was a built-up membrane spanning roughly 2,000 square metres. Visual inspection found no obvious damage. We scheduled a thermal scan for late afternoon on a sunny day — the roof had been heated all day, and the residual heat in the dry insulation lit up the dry sections, while a wet section retained a cooler signature for hours after sunset. The thermal images showed three distinct wet zones totalling about 18 square metres. The roofing contractor cut and patched those zones; the building’s next heavy-rain event saw no further drips.

Hidden moisture in a Vancouver heritage condo

Strata received complaints from a unit owner reporting a musty smell that had developed slowly over a year. No visible leak. The building had a brick exterior with original 1920s construction. We scanned the suspected wall on a cool morning with the interior heated. A cool patch about 60 cm wide and 2 m tall showed clearly on the interior side of the exterior wall — consistent with moisture migration from an exterior source. A contractor opened the wall at the marked location and found a deteriorated section of original mortar that was wicking rainwater. Repair was repointing and interior wall drying.

Our process, step by step

1. Free phone consult. (604) 269-5325. We ask about symptoms, age of the building, type of systems (forced-air, radiant, hot-water domestic), and any recent events. By the end of the call we know whether thermal is the right lead or whether we’ll start with another method.
2. Scheduling for conditions. Thermal scans are sensitive to conditions. Roof scans are best on sunny afternoons. Interior scans for radiant systems are best with the system at temperature. We schedule the visit when results will be most reliable.
3. Pre-scan walkthrough. We look at the building’s thermal “baseline” — what should be warm, what should be cool. Confirms our reading of anomalies later.
4. Scan. Calibrated IR camera, multiple passes across suspected areas. Images saved with location notes.
5. Anomaly interpretation. The tech identifies anomalies that don’t match the expected thermal layout. Verification with secondary methods (moisture meter, acoustic if applicable) confirms the source.
6. Reporting. Thermal images, annotations, narrative, recommendations. Insurance-ready format.
7. Handoff. Marked locations communicated to the repair contractor.

Cameras and equipment we use

Thermal imaging is only as good as the camera and the operator. Our standard kit:

• Building-grade FLIR thermal cameras calibrated for the 0°C–120°C range. Resolution sufficient for distinguishing studs from cavities at typical scan distances.
• Multi-spot temperature measurement for differential analysis — we can spot-read a single point and compare against ambient.
• Moisture meter for verification at marked points (pin and pinless modes).
• Reference grey-card for emissivity calibration on unusual surfaces.
• Backup acoustic and tracer gas kit — we carry them on every thermal scan in case conditions don’t favour thermal.

Cost & our “no detection, no charge” policy

Thermal scans are usually quicker than complex acoustic or tracer gas work, so they often cost less. We’ll quote on the phone before we dispatch. As with every detection method we offer: no detection, no charge. If we can’t locate the source, you don’t pay for the visit.

Service areas across BC

We provide this service across British Columbia. Priority booking across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley — Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, Delta, Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Victoria, Nanaimo, Kelowna, Kamloops, and the rest of our BC service area.

Frequently asked questions about thermal imaging leak detection

Related detection methods

Thermal often pairs with another method to confirm a difficult find. The full toolkit:

• Acoustic detection — locates pressurized water leaks by sound.
• Electronic detection — tracer gas for radiant heat, pool/spa, and depressurized lines.
• Underground detection — GPR and correlation for buried mainlines.
• Drone inspection — aerial thermal scans for large commercial roofs and facilities.
• Pressure & tracer gas — combined method for complex multi-zone systems.