Water leak detection is not always obvious and is sometimes only discovered when you receive an elevated water bill.
The Steps We Take
The first thing we need to establish is whether the leak is related to the hot or cold-water service. We do this by isolating each service and pressurizing the line with high pressure air. Using a pressure gauge, it immediately tells us whether the leak is coming from the hot or cold-water service.
High pressure air and water will also make an elevated noise where the water is escaping, making it possible for us to hear and locate specifically where the leak is coming from.
What if the Leak is Underground?
It is not always possible to hear where leaks are coming from, as water pipes can run underground, through concrete floors and foundations.
When cases like this occur, we use pipe locating equipment to trace the water pipe position. We then isolate sections of the water service to determine the approximate leak location. Depending on the accessibility of the pipe, we may need to bypass this section in-order to repair the leak. The good news is that generally the water authority will refund the excessive water bill, provided you deliver our report as evidence of the water leak.
All leaks are different. Some can be determined with ease, whereas others can be a bit more ambiguous. We often send 2 plumbers to leak investigations, as when testing to find the leak it can be identified with ease.
