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We Detect Water Leaks & Moisture Ingress Fast!
Non-Destructive Moisture Surveys For Building Water Leaks, Flooring Applications, Insurance Assessments, Dampness Issues & More. Sunshine Coast to Brisbane & Surrounds.
Two technologies, one survey — and a leak traced back to its source.
Highpoint Solutions apply advanced infrared thermography and microwave reflection based moisture mapping technology to identify and track building water leaks back to their source. Water rarely shows up where it gets in: it travels along a slab, down a stud, or across a suspended slab before it stains a ceiling. Reading a damp patch alone gets you a repair in the wrong place. Combining infrared with microwave moisture mapping lets our inspectors see both the surface thermal pattern and the moisture distribution through the build-up, so the survey ends with a cause, not a symptom.
Our non-destructive inspection techniques are carried out by inspection personnel who are highly qualified, skilled and experienced in the application of a wide range of inspection and testing methods — and because we hold a QBCC waterproofing licence, the same crew can rectify what the survey finds.
Microwave Reflection Based Moisture Mapping (MRBMM) Technology.
Registration of moisture content is especially important for a lot of processes in industry and civil engineering. In many cases moisture distribution is not homogenous because of material inhomogeneities, pores and cohesive forces between water molecules.
Coming from civil engineering applications where moisture distribution gives important information to architects and civil engineers for the elimination of the reasons of water damages and leakages, moisture mapping is a new microwave method for measuring multi-layer moisture distributions.
Advantages of Microwave Moisture Detection.
- Non-destructive and accurate determination of moisture distribution of components up to a depth of 300mm
- Rapid achievement of absolute and relative measurement results
- Detailed statements on the moisture distribution and the causes of moisture penetration
- Clear graphic representation and qualified evaluation of the measurement results
- No influence on the measurement results by harmful salts
- There are no health hazards from the measurements
Comprehensive Reporting & Reliable Data.
The core of this technology is a fast and easy method to measure moisture by microwaves using several types of reflection microwave sensing heads. While conventional methods for moisture determination are affected by other mechanical, chemical and physical properties of the material, moisture measurements on microwave basis overcome most of these disadvantages.
Microwave Applicators can be made robust, and the interaction volume between electromagnetic wave and wet material can be made large enough to allow neglection of inhomogeneities in the material or small enough to get good spatial resolution. Portable microwave moisture meters became state-of-the-art through the past two decades and have a lot of advantages for moisture measurement in civil engineering. They;
- Enable effective moisture detection in a non-destructive manner
- Allow high measurement speed – real time moisture measurement is possible
- Are optimized for very simple acquisition of large numbers of moisture values
- Deliver real volume information of moisture content with high penetration depths in dm–range possible and interaction volumes up to several hundred litres
- Can be applied to different depth layers by choice of different microwave sensors
Powerful, Portable, Affordable & Effective.
Our Microwave Reflection Based Moisture Mapping system is powerful, yet portable, allowing us to deploy the technology in hard to reach areas using our rope access capabilities.
That portability is the difference between a survey that stops at the ground floor and one that reaches the twelfth. Our IRATA rope access teams carry the same sensing heads over a parapet that we use on a bathroom floor, so a leaking podium planter, a failed façade joint or a wet spandrel panel gets measured properly rather than guessed at from a boom lift photograph. Typical applications include:
- Condensation Moisture
- Residual Moisture
- Upsoaring Moisture (Hygroscopical moisture by salinisation)
- Moisture damages by thermal bridges
- Leakages by defective wall seams
- Water leakage in floor construction
- Moisture under process pipe insulation (Armaflex, Cyrogel, Pyrogel, GRE)
- Commercial flooring moisture assessments
Surveys at height, by rope
- Façade joints, spandrels and parapets reached directly
- No scaffold, no boom lift, no road closure
- Minimum two technicians with at least one IRATA Level 3
- Defect located and photographed at arm’s length
Cracking, render & substrate
- Moisture mapped either side of a crack to prove the path
- Drummy and delaminated render identified
- Salt attack and rising damp distinguished from ingress
- Extent marked up for the rectification scope
Infrared Thermography Provides Invaluable Data To Verify Moisture Data.
Our CAT 2 certified thermographers (ISO 18436-7, AINDT, BINDT) apply advanced thermographic inspection techniques to evaluate variations in temperature distribution of construction materials when performing building water leak surveys. Wet material holds and releases heat differently to dry material beside it, so a radiometric camera reveals the shape and edge of a wet zone in seconds across a whole ceiling or wall — including moisture under insulation on process pipework, where nothing is visible from the outside at all.
Moisture under insulation. To the eye the cladding is continuous and undamaged; the thermal image separates the saturated section from the dry insulation either side of it, so only the wet run needs to be opened up.
Infrared is a screening and verification tool, not a moisture meter — it shows a thermal pattern, and a thermal pattern can also be caused by a draught, a thermal bridge or a shadow. That is exactly why we pair it with microwave measurement: infrared says look here, and the microwave sensor says this is how wet it is and how deep it goes. Neither instrument on its own is enough to sign off a cause.
Electro-acoustic Water Leak Detection
When it comes to detecting leaks in underground or internal wall water pipes, Highpoint Solutions should be your first point of call. Our best-in-class acoustic measuring technology, coupled with intelligent analysis functions, allows us to pin-point any below-surface water leak with extreme accuracy, safety and reliability.
- Detection of leaks in water pipe networks
- Swimming pool leak detection
- Underground water leaks (gardens, concrete slabs, driveways, paved surfaces)
- Water mains & fire mains
- Internal water leaks under tiles, concrete, bathrooms, internal walls, kitchens
- Moisture ingress and water leaks caused from rain
Proprietary microwave moisture mapping analysis software.
Microwave moisture data recorded on-site is processed through our moisture mapping software to provide a graphical representation of moisture distribution, where conclusions can be drawn on the exact causes of component moisture. Instead of a page of isolated readings, you get a plan of the affected area with the wet zone shaded, its extent dimensioned, and the depth layer it sits in identified — the document a builder, a loss adjuster or a body corporate committee can actually act on.
Leak rectification & waterproofing — we repair what we find
Finding the leak is only half the job. Highpoint Solutions holds a QBCC waterproofing licence (Certificate III in Waterproofing, CPC31411), so the crew that traced the ingress can also strip, prepare and re-waterproof the defect. There is no hand-off to a second contractor, no re-mobilisation cost, and no argument later about whether the diagnosis or the repair was at fault — one company owns the outcome from investigation through to making good.
Waterproofing & re-membraning
Balconies, podiums, planter boxes, roof terraces, showers and wet areas stripped back to substrate, prepared, primed and re-membraned to the current standard. Bond breakers, fillets, upstands and terminations are detailed properly at the junctions where membranes actually fail, and falls are checked to the waste before anything is laid back over the top. Work is documented as it goes so the completed waterproofing can be evidenced.
Resealing & joint replacement
Perished sealant is one of the most common causes of ingress we find, and one of the cheapest to fix once it is located precisely. We cut out failed sealant from control joints, façade joints, window and door perimeters, glazing beads, expansion joints and wet area junctions, prepare the joint faces, install the correct backing rod and reseal with a sealant matched to the movement and exposure of that joint.
Render, crack & substrate repair
Drummy and delaminated render is removed back to sound material, edges cut square, and the area re-rendered and finished to match. Cracks are opened, cleaned and filled with the appropriate flexible or rigid product depending on whether the crack is live. Minor touch-up painting to make good the repaired area is included as part of the rectification.
Access — including at height
Because our technicians are IRATA certified, façade and roof-level repairs can be carried out by rope access rather than scaffold or an elevated work platform. Teams are a minimum of two with at least one Level 3 supervisor. For a handful of defects spread across a building elevation, rope access is usually both faster and materially cheaper than standing scaffold for weeks.
Warranty & documentation
Rectification work is carried out under our QBCC licence and warranted accordingly. You receive before-and-after photographs, the products and systems used, and the moisture survey that justified the scope — the package insurers, strata managers and building owners need on file.
Detect
- Infrared screening of the affected area
- Microwave moisture mapping to depth
- Electro-acoustic tracing of pressurised lines
- Cause identified, extent dimensioned
Rectify
- QBCC licensed waterproofing (Cert III CPC31411)
- Resealing, joint replacement, render repair
- Rope access where the defect is at height
- Photographic close-out and warranty
How We Add Value To Your Business Through Effective Moisture Assessment.
Highpoint Solutions employ best-in-class moisture detection equipment to identify building water leaks, moisture ingress, and dampness issues fast, allowing you to take corrective actions to minimise damage to the building substrate and decrease overall remediation expenses.
Saving time
One of the major benefits of applying a multi-disciplinary approach for moisture detection is that we can identify and track moisture problems much faster than any other traditional method. Not only does this save you money, but it reduces the time necessary on site to achieve a more conclusive outcome.
No disruption to your operations
Our non-destructive, non-intrusive inspection methods allow your daily operations to continue unaffected by our work. Nothing is cut open on a hunch — invasive investigation, if it is needed at all, happens once and in the right place.
Findings flagged on the day, report within 24 hours
We immediately highlight any concerning moisture issues and deliver comprehensive reports within 24hrs of the inspection with recommendations for corrective actions.
One contractor through to repair
Where the finding falls within our QBCC waterproofing licence we can price and carry out the rectification directly, so the defect is closed out rather than handed on.
Certified & Experienced Inspectors.
At Highpoint Solutions we pride ourselves on providing a professional service at an affordable price without compromising work quality, leaving your choice clear and simple! When you employ our services you can be sure that you’re dealing with certified and experienced inspectors.
- ISO 18436-7 Category 2 certified thermographer (PCN 342706)
- QBCC licensed waterproofing — Cert III CPC31411
- IRATA Level 3 supervised rope access teams
- Microwave reflection based moisture mapping to 300mm depth
- Electro-acoustic below-surface leak location
- Insurance compliant reporting within one business day
Highly accurate & reliable data packaged into an easy to digest and detailed report.
On completion of our moisture survey, we’ll produce a detailed insurance compliant inspection report within 24hrs. Every finding is presented with the images, the measured moisture values, the location marked on a plan, the likely cause and the recommended corrective action. For a sample report please contact us. Alternatively, give our team a call on 1300 851 842.
What a moisture survey costs
Leak detection is charged by the hour, because the honest answer to “how long will it take?” depends on how much of the building the water has travelled through. Most residential and small commercial investigations are resolved within the first two to three hours on site.
Rectification work is quoted separately once the cause and extent are known. Rope access, where required, is charged at $155 + GST per technician per hour with a minimum of two technicians.
Common questions
Can you find the leak without cutting anything open?
In the great majority of cases, yes. Infrared thermography and microwave moisture mapping are both non-destructive, and electro-acoustic tracing works on pressurised lines through tile, concrete and paving. Where invasive investigation is genuinely required, the survey tells us the one place to open rather than the six.
How deep can the microwave sensor read?
Up to 300mm depending on the sensing head selected, and different heads can be used to interrogate different depth layers of the same build-up — which is how a surface condensation problem is separated from water sitting in a screed.
Is a thermal image on its own proof of a leak?
No. A thermal anomaly can be caused by a draught, a thermal bridge, a shadow or a difference in material. It has to be confirmed with a moisture measurement before anyone should act on it, which is why both technologies are used on the same survey.
Will the report be accepted by my insurer?
Our reports are written to be insurance compliant and are regularly used in claims and building disputes. They set out the method, the instruments, the measured values, the location and extent of the moisture, the likely cause and the recommended corrective action.
Can you repair the leak as well?
Yes. Highpoint Solutions holds a QBCC waterproofing licence (Cert III CPC31411) and carries out waterproofing, resealing, joint replacement and render repair — including at height by rope access. See the rectification section above.
Do you inspect swimming pools?
Yes — pool leak detection is a separate service with its own pressure testing and electro-acoustic workflow. See swimming pool leak detection & repairs.
Building water leak detection is one part of our wider leak detection service, which also covers ultrasound, compressed air and hydrocarbon fugitive emissions surveys. If you have water showing up somewhere it should not be, get in touch and we will tell you which method will find it.