Ground Probing – While ultrasonic leak detection listens for high-frequency sounds created by escaping pressure, ground probing methods for leak detection often rely on acoustic principles applied to the ground. Specialized ground microphones or geophones are placed on the surface above buried pipes. These sensitive instruments listen for the subtle sounds generated by water escaping a pressurized pipe, which transmit through the soil.
Technicians move these probes along the suspected pipeline route. A leak will typically produce a distinct hissing or rushing sound that is amplified and can be heard through headphones. The intensity of the sound helps pinpoint the leak’s location; the loudest point usually indicates the area directly above or closest to the leak.
Some advanced systems incorporate noise loggers that are placed at intervals along the pipeline. These loggers record sound levels over time, and anomalies indicating a potential leak can be identified by analyzing the data.
Ground probing is particularly useful for detecting leaks in water mains and other buried infrastructure where visual inspection is impossible.