Services/Testing · Roofs and waterproofing

Electronic leak detection for roofs and waterproofing

Electronic leak detection finds breaches as small as a pinhole in a roof or waterproofing membrane, before pavers, soil or insulation cover it up. It's a non-destructive alternative to flood testing, without the weight on the structure or the risk of water inside.

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  • ASTM D7877
  • Low voltage (wet)
  • High voltage (dry)
Electronic leak detection sweep on a waterproofed deck
Electronic leak detection sweep on a waterproofed deck
When to call us

Where this helps most

  • Before the overburden goes on

    Test plaza decks, podiums and green roofs while the membrane is still exposed.

  • A new roof is finished

    Quality check on TPO, PVC, white EPDM, built-up and hot-applied systems before closeout.

  • A flood test isn't practical

    Too much weight, too slow, or too much risk of water getting inside.

  • A roof leaks and nobody can find it

    Trace the breach instead of opening the roof at random.

How it works

From first call to final report

  1. Choose the method

    Low voltage for large wetted areas and green roofs, high voltage for exposed dry membranes. It depends on the membrane.

  2. Test the whole field

    A methodical, area-by-area scan of the membrane, plus focused testing at drains, curbs and penetrations.

  3. Mark and notify

    Each breach is marked on the membrane and the roofer's site lead is told right away.

  4. Retest the repairs

    Once the roofer patches a breach, we retest it with high voltage to confirm it's watertight.

What you get

Clear findings you can act on

  • A report with a plan of every breach found and the photos
  • Breaches marked in the field for immediate repair
  • Retest results for each repair
  • Every report and photo in your project's client portal
ELD sweep along a curb and penetrations
ELD sweep along a curb and penetrations
Breach located and marked for repair
Breach located and marked for repair
Questions

Common questions

Which membranes can be tested?

TPO, PVC, white EPDM, built-up roofing, hot-fluid-applied rubberized asphalt, and some PMMA and epoxy coatings. Black EPDM and other conductive membranes need a different approach, so ask us early.

Low voltage or high voltage?

Low voltage works on a wetted membrane and suits large horizontal areas and green roofs. High voltage is a dry test, swept over exposed membranes like TPO. We pick based on the system.

What does the site need to provide?

Water within about 150 feet of the test area for low voltage testing, a clean membrane, and the roofer on hand to repair what we find.

Can you test after the overburden is installed?

Sometimes, with low voltage, if the assembly allows it. The best time is before anything covers the membrane.

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Start a project

Field-tested answers. Defensible reports.

Tell us about the building and we'll reply within one business day with next steps and a proposal.

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