Electronic leak detection helps contractors, building owners, and insurance professionals locate the source of leaks and validate repairs.
While infrared scans are ideal for identifying trapped moisture, high-voltage ELD is a precise, non-invasive method that can detect even small membrane breaches on many roof types—including certain non-conductive systems. It’s well-suited for repair validation, leak detection, insurance documentation, and final checks during project closeout. ELD helps create defensible records of roof conditions before work begins or a claim is closed—though effectiveness may vary depending on the specific roof assembly.
On a typical job, technicians use a conductive brush or wand to scan the roof surface and identify any point where current can pass through the membrane—indicating a potential breach. The process is efficient, non-destructive, and can often reveal defects before they result in visible damage.
Photo by Structura View.
Electronic Leak Detection: Real-World Results
On a recent project, a major construction and development group needed assurance that their new TPO roof installation was watertight before closeout. A full ELD roof scan was completed and identified five issues, each marked and handed off to the construction team for immediate repair.
Retesting two days later confirmed all five breaches had been properly addressed—no further issues were found.
This is what ELD delivers: clear, confirmable data at a critical project milestone. Not just for new roofs, but for any roof that needs answers before handoff or warranty activation.
Who Benefits from ELD?
Roofing Contractors:
Pinpointing problems before handoff saves on callbacks and strengthens confidence in the final product. ELD is a powerful quality control tool that delivers proof of performance.
Roof Owners Working with Insurance:
If you’re tying water intrusion back to hail, storm damage, or other insurable events, ELD provides the forensic evidence you need to support your claim.
Commercial Building Owners & Managers:
Whether addressing a known issue or verifying recent work, ELD helps validate that your membrane is sealed and secure—before water intrusion leads to disruption, liability, and unnecessary expenses.
ELD Is a Powerful Standalone—or Companion Tool
Infrared surveys are excellent for identifying moisture below the membrane—but they can’t always locate the source of intrusion.
That’s where ELD comes in. Used together, infrared and ELD create a complete picture:
- Thermal finds the moisture.
- ELD finds the breach.
Together, they help you determine not only what needs fixing, but also whether it was fixed correctly.
ELD: Delivering Pinpoint Accuracy for Better Decisions
The ELD process is built for precision. The documented results make repairs easier to justify, claims easier to validate, and handoffs easier to complete.
Whether you’re chasing a known leak, verifying a new installation, or avoiding surprises at turnover, electronic leak detection gives you the documentation to move forward.
