Property manager guide · Pinhole leaks
When the same kind of leak keeps returning.
A repaired pinhole can resolve one failure while the building team still faces a larger question: is there a recurring domestic water issue that needs a system review? A useful next step begins with a reliable leak history and a clear distinction between emergency response, investigation and long-term protection.
Deal with the current water event first.
If water is actively causing damage, call and follow the building’s authorized response process. Keep people away from unsafe areas. A future corrosion-control assessment does not replace the immediate response or the repair required now.
Once the condition is stable, record where the water appeared and what the responding trade found. A wet ceiling alone does not establish that the cause was a pinhole in a domestic water line.
Turn separate incidents into a useful history.
Collect the records from prior events in one place. Record confirmed pipe failures separately from unconfirmed water stains or other sources. Use the original repair record where possible rather than relying on a summary remembered months later.
- Date and location of each confirmed leak
- Hot or cold domestic water line, where known
- Riser, floor, unit or mechanical-room location
- Observed pipe condition and completed repair
- Photos, contractor findings and unresolved questions
Look for a question the assessment can answer.
The record may show repeated repairs on one branch, events across several risers, or too little evidence to tell. Those are different starting points. Ask the assessment team what additional system information is needed before interpreting the pattern.
Avoid treating the age of the building, one photograph or the number of repair invoices as proof of a single cause. Water-system configuration, known materials, operating history and available findings provide context for the review.
Prepare the domestic water-system review.
For a LEaC Shield assessment, gather building age, unit and storey counts, planned plumbing work and a year of water-use records. Arrange authorized access to the water-meter and boiler rooms, including the relevant pumps, backflow and recirculation equipment.
LEaC Shield is a managed corrosion-control program for domestic hot and cold water piping. A building assessment determines whether it is suitable. ProShield coordinates the site review, installation and commissioning; LEaC Shield provides ongoing program servicing.
Give the board a decision it can follow.
Summarize the confirmed history, what remains uncertain and the proposed next step. Separate an investigation request from an installation decision. If a proposal follows, compare the equipment and installation scope with the ongoing servicing and owner obligations.
Sensors and shutoff planning may also be relevant because they address the detection of escaped water and flow control. They serve a different purpose from corrosion control and should be considered against the building’s actual risk.
Questions people ask
Do repeated pinhole leaks prove that a building needs LEaC Shield?
No. Repeated leaks justify a closer review, but suitability depends on the building assessment. Confirmed repair findings and domestic water-system information help the team define that review.
What if our leak records are incomplete?
Start with the confirmed facts you have and label missing details. Gather repair invoices, available photos and contractor findings without turning unknown details into assumptions.
Should we add sensors while considering corrosion control?
Sensors may help detect escaped water in selected locations. Their suitability, placement, alert ownership and any shutoff arrangement need their own review; they do not perform corrosion control.