Plumbing leaks are too common an occurrence in most properties, more so in those with old pipes. The location of most pipes behind drywall and areas that are hard to reach unfortunately makes the detection of leaks in your plumbing system hard. In most cases, you only realize that there might be a leak somewhere in your property when you notice signs of water damage. These include mold proliferation, peeling wall paint, and water-stained walls and ceilings.
Most people will start tearing down walls and ceilings to access pipes and get the source of a leak rather than get plumbers from Orem to handle this crucial task. This will result in costly property damage and might compromise the integrity of your pipes. You might have to spend more on the damage than you would spend on fixing the crack that a pipe already has. The following are some leak detection tests plumbers will use nowadays to minimize damage to your property:
Video Camera Inspection
Plumbers nowadays have video cameras that can snake the length of your property’s pipes and send real-time images on their condition to a monitor. The camera is placed through your toilet’s drain, roof vent, or existing clean out vent. It will pick out deteriorated pipe sections, obstructions, and cracks that might be contributing to your plumbing system’s leaks.
Hydrostatic Pressure Test
This test is carried out on a property’s sanitary sewer system to pick out any leaks in underground plumbing. In a hydrostatic pressure test, an inflatable test ball will be inserted into your main sewer line’s clean out. The ball is then inflated to obstruct the sewer and water filled up to the slab level and observed for about twenty minutes. If the water recedes, this is considered an indication of a leak in your sewer system.
Electronic Listening Device Tests
There are electronic listening devices currently used by plumbers to hear any leaks in your plumbing lines. After getting the general site of a leak, line tracer systems are used to introduce an electric current into the water line at this location. The electric charge will pick the exact location of a leak in your plumbing.
Static Leak Isolation
This test involves the use of sewer video cameras combined with hydrostatic pressure tests. The video camera will be snaked in your plumbing lines to get a visual of your sewer system. After this, a hydrostatic pressure test is used to determine the sections under your slab, where the leak is happening. Inflatable test balls will then be placed into specific sewer areas around to pick a precise location of the leak.
Digital Water Leak Detection Test
This employs digital devices that comprise amplifiers to identify the plumbing sounds associated with leaks. The devices feature a noise filter that will eliminate other sounds. Digital water leak detection is often used for complex plumbing systems.
Before you tear down your walls and ceiling on your own just to check if there is a leak in your plumbing system, seek the help of a professional. Fixing the possible issue on your own might worsen it instead. Just make sure to hire an efficient and trustworthy plumber.
