Posted in Plumbing
At Sky Heating & Air Conditioning, we provide leak detection services throughout the Portland area. People often wonder how effective they are. When you have a plumbing leak, it’s important to find it quickly to make repairs and minimize the water damage. Water leaks can come from many sources, including clogs, high water pressure, extreme temperatures, worn-out pipe joints, and even tree roots.
The signs of a leak may be obvious, but it’s often difficult to identify the source without the right equipment. There are various methods of leak detection. Accuracy depends on the method used. We’ll provide a few examples below:
Video Inspection
Using video pipe inspection cameras is the most precise leak detection method. Mounted to a long, flexible cable, the camera is inserted into a plumbing outlet such as a faucet or drain. The images it relays back to a monitor show the exact condition of the pipe. Wherever it is, the source of a leak will be visible. The technician can record the location so they know exactly where to access and repair the pipe.
Acoustic Detectors
Ground microphones and listening discs are simple devices that can help plumbers pinpoint where a water leak is. The equipment can detect the presence of a leak through drywall and furnishings such as kitchen or bathroom cabinets. To find a leak, the technician will wear headphones and place the disc against a surface, listening for the sound of running water. For stone surfaces like brick or concrete, deck plates can be used for accurate detection.
Thermal Imaging
Another effective leak detection service is infrared imaging, also known as thermography. Using heat scanners, a plumber can see what can’t be seen with the naked eye. Leaks behind walls and under floors become visible because leaking water is at a different temperature than its surroundings. Thermal imaging can also detect areas of moisture behind walls, under floors, and in ceilings and flat roofs. No physical access to the affected area is required.
Noise Correlation
A leak noise correlator is an effective electronic device that uses sensors to locate leaks in a water pipe. Radio signals are sent between two sensors. A processor analyzes the data using mathematical algorithms developed based on the noise profiles of the pipe material. Using this method, a specialist can determine if there’s a leak and where it’s coming from.
Soil Probes
A sewer line leak can be hard to find and cause many problems. Using a soil probe, a plumber can listen for leaks through rocks, soil, or grass. They can move the probe until it gets closer to the leak; the sound will get louder as they do. An experienced technician can tell the difference between a standard pressure or pressured leak and determine its type, size, and depth. Once the precise location is determined, they can access and repair the leaking pipe.
Other Leak Detection Services
These are common and highly effective leak detection methods, but they aren’t the only ones professionals can use. A leak doesn’t always involve water. It can occur in a gas or refrigerant line too. The soap bubble test is one of the simplest methods of leak detection. When dabbed, brushed, or sprayed onto part of a gas line, it will reveal a gas leak if the soap starts to bubble. The plumber may also raise the gas pressure to find the problem more quickly.
Gas leaks can also be found via pressure decay. A technician will pressurize the gas supply line with dry air or nitrogen and monitor internal pressure. The greater the pressure drop, the bigger the leak. Depressurizing a line can also help find a leak. The pressure is lowered and stabilized before a test media is introduced into the line; a technician can then measure the increase in pressure to determine if a leak is present.
A sniffer is a device used to detect refrigerant leaks in air conditioning systems. It uses helium and hydrogen, which have molecules small enough to pass through very small leak points.
