Leak Detection vs Permanent Monitoring (Investment strategy)

Stop chasing symptoms. Start solving the root cause, with a strategy that lasts.

Leak Detection Is Easy. Sustained Results Aren’t.

By The Analysts | Thought Leadership | Compressed Air Standards | System Assessments

You’ve got options, but the real question is: What are you trying to solve, and what’s your end goal?

It doesn’t matter whether you’re using a basic ultrasonic leak detector, soap and water, a high-end camera system, a system pump-up test, or a two-handed device that costs as much as a service truck. The tool is just a means to an end. What truly matters is understanding the root cause of the problem, how it affects your operations, and how to prevent it from recurring. It’s about defining the right budget, not just for a part or a quick fix, but for a long-term solution that addresses the system as a whole.

Compressed air is one of the more expensive energy sources for industrial facilities. Efficient use is of paramount importance, as losses can account for 20% to 40% of the total air produced. Proactivity is key to success, because while leak points go unnoticed, production continues. Often leaks go undetected until key components or processes start to fail or it even shuts down entire compressed air systems.

Leaks put additional strain on the inlet side of the compressed air system as the compressor has to produce more air, the dryer has to process more air, the condensate drains have to remove more moisture, all leading to additional wear and tear, also known as false load. The additional load on the system can lead to additional maintenance, the purchase of a rental or new compressors or even shutdown of the entire system. One way to eliminate this false load is to introduce a leak detection and repair program.

Benefits of the Leak Detection and Repair Program.

Lower Energy Costs – Eliminating leaks reduces compressor run time, cutting electricity consumption significantly.

• Improved System Efficiency: Less air loss means compressors operate within optimal ranges, improving overall system performance.
• Increased Equipment Life: Reduced compressor cycling leads to less wear and longer service life for compressors and components.
• Deferred Capital Investment: Lower system demand may eliminate or delay the need to purchase additional compressor capacity.
• Better Pressure Stability: Sealing leaks stabilizes system pressure, ensuring consistent performance for tools and processes.
• Higher Productivity: Reliable air supply helps prevent downtime and ensures that pneumatic tools and equipment operate at full efficiency.
• Reduced Maintenance Costs: Fewer running hours mean less frequent servicing and lower risk of emergency repairs.
• Fast ROI: Leak repair projects often pay for themselves in under a year, especially in systems with poor baseline efficiency.
• Lower Carbon Emissions: Reducing energy waste from leaks decreases indirect greenhouse gas emissions.
• Improved Safety and Compliance: Addressing leaks reduces noise and eliminates unsafe conditions like whipping hoses or blow-off hazards.

But what about implementing sensors and monitoring, can’t we visualize our leak load and know when it is time to get out into the plant?

Yes, Yes and Ohhh Yes! Finding and fixing leaks is important and knowing their exact root cause too. But holding onto those savings is even more critical. Knowing what level of air consumption is normal and what level is considered abnormal, might reveal a big leak, a blow off, or a popped safety valve that requires your back up compressor to turn on. Without the right tools to track, manage, and understand your compressed air system’s unique fingerprint, you don’t know when and where to get back out into the plant. This means that without these tools your improvements and savings might be short-lived putting you back to square one. Being back in square one is where you spend more money, are likely to run out of air faster and request another compressor quote. Sounds familiar?

We help customers explore different scenarios for their short term and long term goals and together we determine the most effective path forward. That may mean recommending a more economical leak detector or get a leak service provider to do a leak audit and keep funds available for what truly sustains savings: Implementing a leak management system with metering and monitoring.

Where to put your Investment: Leak Detectors vs. Permanent Monitoring Systems

Compressed air leaks cost industries millions in wasted energy every year. While ultrasonic leak detectors with built-in cameras have become a popular tool to combat these losses, they may not always be the best use of budget. Let’s explore the trade-offs between investing in portable leak detection tools and permanent monitoring systems.

🎯 Leak Detectors with Camera: Tactical Tool

Ultrasonic leak detectors with cameras, allow maintenance teams to visually locate leaks quickly. These tools are ideal for contractors or facilities performing regular leak surveys.

Advantages:

• Quick and easy leak identification
• Provides images and sound mapping for documentation
• Low training barrier for teams

Limitations:

• Only captures a snapshot in time
• Doesn’t reveal root causes of system inefficiencies
• High cost (~$15,000–$25,000)

📊 Permanent Monitoring: Strategic Tool

Installing permanent kW/h, flow, pressure, and dew point sensors enables 24/7 tracking of system performance. These tools help facilities move from reactive repairs to proactive system optimization.

Advantages:‍

• Detects increasing leak loads over time
• Identifies pressure instability and system inefficiencies
• Provides baseline data to validate improvements
• Supports continuous improvement and audit follow-up

Limitations:

• Doesn’t visually pinpoint leak locations but helps definingareas of high potentials

💡 Investment Comparison

🔍 How ever you decide to spend your budget, make sure you embed a Root Cause Analysis on your discovered Compressed Air Leaks

Root cause analysis (RCA) after leak detection is critically important in compressed air systems because simply fixing leaks doesn't address why they occurred. Here’s why conducting RCA matters:

1. Prevents Recurrence - RCA identifies why leaks developed, such as poor-quality fittings, incorrect installation, or excessive vibration. Without solving these, new leaks are likely to form again in the same or similar places.
2. Targets Systemic Problems - Many leaks are symptoms of broader issues like improper pipe support, incompatible materials, over-pressurization, or maintenance gaps. RCA reveals these root problems.‍
3. Supports Long-Term Reliability - Understanding and eliminating the root causes ensures your system stays tight longer, reducing air loss sustainably rather than needing constant rework. 
4. Improves Maintenance Strategies - RCA helps shift maintenance from reactive to preventive or predictive, using data to guide pipe material choices, joint selections, and torque specs.
5. Enhances Safety - Repeated leaks could indicate weak or failing components under pressure—an unaddressed safety risk. RCA allows teams to act before failure becomes hazardous.
6. Reduces Total Cost of Ownership - Repeated leak repairs cost time and money. Eliminating the root cause reduces future labor, downtime, and rework, improving life cycle efficiency.
7. Builds a Culture of Continuous Improvement

RCA encourages team learning and process improvement, creating a systematic approach to solving issues, not just patching them.

In short, leak detection tells you where, but root cause analysis tells you why—and that’s the key to lasting compressed air system performance.

Here is an overview of some different Compressed Air Leak root causes:

1. People (Human Factors)

• Lack of awareness or training on the cost and impact of leaks.
• Neglect during installation or maintenance – not tightening fittings or using incorrect components.
• No accountability – no one is assigned to monitor air system health.
• Misconception that compressed air is "free" or cheap, leading to careless use.‍

2. Process (System & Procedures)

• No leak detection program in place.
• Lack of preventative maintenance routines.
• Inconsistent or reactive maintenance – only fixing problems after they cause production issues.
• No documentation or tagging of known leaks.
• Inefficient procurement standards – cheap components selected over quality ones.

3. Equipment (Hardware & Components)

• Aging pipes and fittings – corroded, cracked, or worn parts.
• Low-quality materials – poor seals, hoses, or connectors that degrade quickly.
• Incompatible materials leading to chemical or thermal degradation.
• Vibration or pressure cycling causing fatigue cracks or loose fittings over time.
• Poor installation practices, like over-torqued fittings or unsupported piping.

4. Environment (Working Conditions)

• Temperature fluctuations causing expansion/contraction in piping.
• Moisture and corrosion due to poor air drying or drainage.
• Dirty or dusty environments leading to contamination and seal degradation.‍
• Facility layout changes introducing stress points in piping.

📈 How to Prevent Leaks (Actions Based on RCA)

1. Train staff on the impact of leaks and how to identify them.
2. Implement a Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) program.
3. Use ultrasonic leak detectors regularly to catch small leaks early.
4. Tag, track, and prioritize repairs systematically.
5. Schedule routine inspections and maintenance.
6. Upgrade components to industrial-grade and vibration-resistant parts.
7. Ensure proper pipe supports and layout to reduce mechanical stress.‍
8. Install dryers and filters to reduce moisture and corrosion

🧠 Strategic Recommendation

If your facility does not yet have a baseline monitoring system for kW/h, air flow, pressure, and dew point, it’s smarter to invest in those first. These tools provide the foundation for understanding your system’s behavior, leak trends, and energy performance. Leak detection cameras are powerful tools, but they should come after your system is under control.

About Us

The Analysts is a reliability-first consulting firm specializing in holistic compressed air system audits, energy savings evaluations, leak detection surveys, process mapping, and implementing system monitoring and controls. We understand every step in your compressed air system - from the atmosphere it draws in, to the atmosphere it exhausts to.

Call us when compressed air is affecting your production, performance, or profitability.

Contact us here – let’s have real talk.

Written by Analysts – Advocates for smarter compressed air, system efficiency, and sustainable industrial operations.