Tag Archives: water leak detection

Feb '22

Water Leak Detection 101: How to Detect Leaks in Your Home

The plumbing system is one of the most extensive and most used systems in the home. Almost every room in the house has water running through it, and a wide range of activities done in modern homes require water.

On average, one person in the home uses 80 – 100 gallons of water a day; that’s just one person. When you work out the amount of water used by the entire family, you can start to see just how much work the plumbing in your home does.

That is why plumbing leaks are easily the biggest maintenance issue in the home. The fact that water is very mobile and present in every part of the home means plumbing leaks can happen in any area on the property, warns McCaw Property Management. Moreover, these leaks can be incredibly complicated to detect.

Why are plumbing leaks so hard to find?

The reason is that most plumbing system components are invisible inside the walls, flooring, basement, and ceiling. It protects them from damage and preserves the aesthetic appeal of the home.

The second reason is that plumbing leaks rarely happen as we imagine them. Instead of water cascading down the home’s wall, most leaks occur as small continuous drips from damaged pipes or fixtures. These can go unnoticed for a long time.

But the long-term effect of these small leaks can be devastating to your wallet and the physical structures of your building. The costliest plumbing leaks in your home are not those that often flood your home, but the ones that secretly damage your building.

How do you detect those types of plumbing leaks early?

The following are the different ways to detect plumbing leaks in your home even before the effects of the problem become apparent. A leak detection system built on these strategies will save you thousands of dollars.

Monitor your water bill for changes

You should know the average amount you pay for water every month. If you notice large and sudden spikes in your water bill without any significant changes in your family’s use of water, you may suspect a leak. That will not tell you where the leak is, but it will help you be aware of the problem.

Measure your water usage

A family of four will not use more than 12,000 gallons of water a month. That is according to statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency. If you check your water usage and it exceeds this average by a wide margin, you can be sure there is a leak somewhere in your plumbing.

Watch your water meter

The dial of your water meter should stop moving when all the water in your home shuts off. With all the faucets in the house turned off, the reading on your water meter will only change if there is a leak in the system. Turn the faucets off, note the reading on the meter, wait one hour and observe the reading again.

Check the toilet for leaks

Toilets are notorious for hard-to-detect leaks. The tank may be leaking water into the bowl for years without any indications of the problems. To check if the tank is leaking, put a few drops of food coloring in the tank. Wait ten minutes and check to see if the color has appeared in the toilet bowl.

Inspect problem areas

Some parts of the home are notorious for hiding plumbing leaks. These include toilets, under the sink, and dripping faucets. Along with checking these areas, you may also look for signs of mold and moisture. Another sign to look for is a musty smell.

Check water sources outside the home

Exterior faucets and water spigots are also a crucial source of leaks. Since they are outside the home, they don’t get enough attention when homeowners look for plumbing leaks. If there is an area outside the house that is constantly wet, there might be a leak in the area.

Look for patches of green grass

If an area of lawn grass is greener than surrounding areas, it could indicate that that part of your lawn is getting more water than other parts. That is not always an indication of a water leak; it could also happen if your home’s sewer line is leaking and requires repair.

Check appliance and fixtures

Water-utilizing appliances may also contribute to your high water bills. Dishwashers, washing machines, and refrigerators can all leak. Check the connecting hoses for these appliances to ensure they are not leaking.

Look for clues of leaks around the house

Leaks will often leave behind a range of signs. Stains on the wall show that water is leaking behind the drywall. These stains can show on ceilings and walls. Bubbly and bulging paint also shows the surface behind the paint is wet. The musty smell around the home is another indication of leaks.

Nov '21

How Does Water Leak Detection Work?

Plumbing leaks are one of the most common problems homeowners have to deal with. The plumbing in your home can leak as a result of poor installation and inferior materials. Leaks may also happen as pipes and connectors start to age or they can be the result of extreme weather changes.

Every year in the USA, the cost of property damage from water leaks is more than the combined damage from break-ins and house fires. According to data from the Insurance Information Institute, the average claim for a single plumbing leak is $10,234 and there are hundreds of thousands of these claims every year.

But this is not just a problem for your insurance company. Plumbing leaks affect the physical structures of your home and impair the aesthetic appeal of your building. The possibility of leaks and water damage happening in your house is a huge factor in how much insurance premium you pay.

Part of what makes plumbing leaks such a huge problem is that water travels through almost every part of the home. There are many potential locations where pipes can spring a leak and cause damage to the house. Monitoring pipes to prevent leaks is something homeowners simply cannot keep up with.

But, at the same time, due to how easy it is for pipes to leak and the high cost of fixing the resulting damage, this is something homeowners must do. Is there a hassle-free way to monitor the pipes in your home to detect water leaks before they cause expensive damage? Thankfully there is.

Leak detection systems and how they work

A leak detection system is a device that monitors the home’s plumbing in real-time, twenty-four hours every day. It relieves homeowners of the anxiety of living with the prospect of undetected leaks. It spares them the unplanned cost of fixing an unexpected plumbing leak by stopping leaks before they cause damage.

The leak detection system is installed in the home’s plumbing where it actively monitors the movement of water from the main water supply into the home. The device works by detecting unusual variations in the flow of water and shutting down the supply whenever it finds abnormalities in the flow of water.

There are different types of water leak detection systems. There are whole house water leak detection systems and water leak detection systems that help find leaks in specific parts of the home. Whole-house systems typically use mechanical turbines or ultrasound.

Whole house water leak detection systems

These systems monitor water flow by counting the number of gallons of water passing through the pipes and noting the time delays. All water leak detection systems – mechanical turbine systems, as well as ultrasonic systems – come with a built in valve that can be closed to cut off the water supply to the home.

Mechanical turbine systems

They are equipped with a propeller that spins as water passes over its blades into the home. The device counts how many gallons are passing through, noting variations in water flow and the time intervals between them.

This data is sent back to the system and stored there. Since water usage in the home follows patterns – low-usage, high-usage, or no-usage – once the system senses prolonged periods of water usage that do not conform to the established pattern, it will shut down the water supply.

Ultrasonic water leak detection systems

This kind of leak detection system uses ultrasonic waves that are transmitted through the upstream and downstream sections of the plumbing system. These waves are used to record the rate of flow and detect irregular flow patterns.

The acquired data can be relayed to your Smartphone via your home’s Wi-Fi. Just like a mechanical detection system, an ultrasonic water leak detection system will shut down the supply if the water flow exceeds the expected amount of time.

Moisture-sensing water leak detection systems

This type of system uses the presence of excessive moisture to detect leaks. If, for instance, the device detects that moisture is building up around the floorboards, it will shut off the water flow. Moisture-sensing leaks detectors are better for detecting leaks around specific points in the home, such as under the sink. They are less effective for detecting potential leaks.

Why your home needs a water leak detection system

Your home is more likely to suffer a plumbing leak than get burgled, burned down, or struck by lightning. A water leak detection system protects you from this all-too-common problem. Installing a water leak detection system means instant peace of mind.

A water leak detection system will prevent water wastage. Hundreds of thousands of homes in America pay more than they should for water because a large percentage of the water that goes into their homes is lost through plumbing leaks. A water leak detection system will reduce your water bill and also have a positive impact on your insurance premium.

A water leak detection system preserves your family’s health by preventing mold. Mold and water leaks go hand-in-hand because water leaks provide the right environment for the growth of mold. A water leak detection system will save you the money you would have spent on dealing with mold poisoning.

Sep '21

Top Reasons for Water Leaks in the Home

Leaks can cause extensive damages to your home and the repairs may be costly. The impacts of water leaks are numerous. Some of them include:

Increase in your water bills

If you have leaks in your home, your water bills will increase. Even when the leaks appear small, they can waste a copious amount of water. According to epa.gov, if one faucet is leaking at the rate of one drop per second, it translates to about 3000 gallons of water in a year. You can as well shower that volume of water about 180 times. Imagine how much you are spending on 3000 gallons of water every year without using it.

Water damage and mold growth

Leaks cause water damage, and molds thrive in high humidity. The presence of water leaks in your home will create a suitable environment for mildew. Molds that grow during water damage are harmful to the health of occupants. Water damage causes several negative impacts on your home. It can damage your ceiling, drywall, wood, furniture, carpet, and appliances. Water damage can also destroy the foundation of your property and reduce the home’s value.

Safety concerns

Leaks in a property can render it unfit for habitation. Remember, water and electricity do not mix. If the leak is close to electricity sources, it can make the house prone to electrocution. We advise that you always switch off the electric supply to the area where the leak is active. Another safety concern is that the water spills on the floor will make it slippery and cause falls.

There are several other impacts of water leaks. To protect your home from all these occurrences, it is essential to know the top reasons for water leaks. When you know the causes, you can prevent them from occurring. Below are the common causes of water leaks in the home.

High water pressure

The normal pressure of water inside the pipes in your home should be between 40 to 70 psi. Appliances, pipes, and pipe joints cannot withstand water pressures higher than 70 psi. If the water pressure in your home is too high, the pipes will rupture, resulting in leaks or burst pipes. To prevent this, you can monitor the water pressure in your home by using a pressure gauge.

Damaged pipe joints

Pipe joints are the weakest spots in water pipes. Because of that, leaks often occur here. If there is excessive water movement or pressure at the pipe joints, they easily break down and cause leaks. Your plumber can help you assess the pipe joint and reinforce them to prevent leaks.

Broken seals

Seals occur in several parts of your plumbing system. Following high water pressure, age, or poor installation, the seals break down. When this happens, water starts to leak from those spots. Your plumber can remove all old seals and install new ones properly.

Air conditioners

Functioning air conditioners produce water, but this water flows through a duct and discharges outside the house. Sometimes, this may not be the case. Instead of the water flowing outside, it drips inside and pours on the walls. That may be due to overflowing condensate pans or poor installation. Here, your HVAC specialist should assess the air conditioner and fix the problem.

Clogged lines

The primary reason you have clogs in your drain pipes may be because you pour harmful things into your drain. One of such things is grease or cooking oil. Grease solidifies inside the drain pipes and causes clogging. Clogs often manifest as leaks. If you have been pouring grease, cooking oils, or other harmful things into your drain, get professional drain cleaning plumbers to clear these clogs.

Corroded pipes

Pipes corrode for various reasons. It could be due to corrosive substances in the water, age, destabilizing movements, bacteria, or normal wear and tear. When pipes corrode, they start leaking. Hire a plumber to locate and assess your leaking pipes and replace corroded ones to prevent leaks.

Loosening water connectors

During the installation of water appliances, water connectors help to attach the water fixtures to the water supply. Over time, the water connectors may loosen following vibrations or shifting of the gadgets. If you notice that there are leaks at these spots, get an expert to fix it.

Other appliances

Leaks can occur because of your water appliances. Common appliances that can cause water leaks include washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and water heaters. Conduct routine servicing and maintenance of your water appliances to prevent leaks.

In a nutshell

Outdoor leaks are not as common as indoor leaks. You can also inspect your outdoor areas for leaks. The sources of outdoor leaks are the roof, gutters, ruptured underground pipes, tree root intrusion, downspouts, and sewer pumps. As a routine, always hire professional plumbers to conduct a comprehensive assessment of your plumbing system.