Tracer Gas Leak Detection in Hot Springs, AR

Tracer gas leak detection is the most accurate way to find a hidden water leak without destructive searching, and Bowen Plumbing now offers it across Hot Springs, AR. The idea is simple: instead of trying to hear water escaping, we fill the line with a gas that is easy to detect and let it show us where the pipe is open.

The tracer gas is 95% nitrogen and 5% hydrogen, an industry-standard mix that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and non-corrosive. Hydrogen is the smallest, lightest molecule there is, so it slips through a leak that barely drips and rises straight up through whatever is above it: soil, gravel, concrete slab, tile, hardwood, drywall, or a pool deck. Our Multi-Pro detector is sensitive enough to pick up trace amounts at the surface, and it alarms exactly where the concentration peaks. That peak is the leak, typically located within a foot or two even under a slab or several feet of soil.

Tracer Gas Leak Detection by Bowen Plumbing in Hot Springs, AR

What’s included

Safe, non-toxic, non-flammable hydrogen/nitrogen mix
Finds silent leaks acoustic listening can miss
Works through concrete, tile, soil, drywall, and pavement
Effective on copper, PEX, PVC, and poly lines
Detection depth up to 10 feet underground
Pinpoint accuracy means one small access opening

What a tracer gas leak detection visit looks like

Every job is a little different, but the process is consistent, and we walk you through each step.

Confirm the leak with a meter check and pressure test, and narrow it to hot, cold, or a specific run
Isolate and drain the suspect line, then connect the tracer gas at a regulated low pressure
Sweep the surface along the pipe route with the detector, watching for the concentration peak
Confirm with acoustic listening or moisture readings, then mark the spot
Explain what we found and your repair options, and make the repair if you would like us to
Flush the line and return the system to service

Where tracer gas makes the biggest difference

Slab leaks under thick concrete, deep service lines in wet clay, plastic pipe that does not carry sound, pool plumbing under a deck, and slow leaks inside finished walls are the situations where listening alone tends to fail and tracer gas shines. It is also the right tool when a leak is intermittent, because it relies on pressure rather than catching the leak in the act.

Frequently asked questions

Is hydrogen tracer gas dangerous?

Not at this mix. At 5% hydrogen in nitrogen the gas is below the flammability limit and is not toxic. It is the same formulation used to leak-test water mains, refrigeration, and food-processing lines. It vents harmlessly to the air after the test.

Will the gas get into my drinking water?

The line is isolated and drained before testing and flushed afterward. Nitrogen and hydrogen do not dissolve into or contaminate the water supply, and neither leaves any residue.

Why not just use a listening device?

We do use one, alongside tracer gas. Acoustic detection is fast on shallow, pressurized metal lines, but it struggles with plastic pipe, deep lines, thick slabs, and slow leaks. Tracer gas covers those gaps, and using both gives us a confirmed location rather than a best guess.

Does tracer gas work on gas lines or drains?

The tracer method is for pressurized lines, so it is ideal for water supply and pool plumbing. Drain and sewer leaks are not under pressure and are better handled with a sewer camera inspection, which we also offer.