When homeowners are facing a high water bill, see visible wet spots on the floor, or notice water damage, many choose to contact their insurance adjuster and pass along the headache to them. That’s what insurance is for, right?
These local and national adjusters are then faced with hiring the right leak detection company, scheduling the job and paying the claim. But accomplishing each of these tasks over the phone can be time consuming and is not the most productive use of their day.
To solve this problem and streamline the entire claims process, American Leak Detection’s Corporate Office has now launched the insurance adjuster mobile site. This new feature allows adjusters to process claims faster and easier while they’re in the field by using any mobile phone or tablet. You can submit a job without registering on the site, but doing so allows you to come back and log in to track claims in real time, and more importantly, in one place. You are able to add multiple insurance carriers and live job updates are also available.
Watch for our quick access tools for pool professionals and property managers coming soon! To try the new mobile site, visit Insurance.AmericanLeakDetection.com
It’s part of the “American Dream.” Saving to buy a nice home in the suburbs with enough room for your growing family and a backyard large enough to fit a pool and swing set. You don’t have the pool installed just yet, but you’re already daydreaming about cooling off on hot summer afternoons and hosting barbeques by the deck.
Sure, you know there are costs associated with owning and maintaining an in-ground pool, but potential leaks and “mystery” problems have never crossed your mind before. How often do pools really leak?
As of 2011, there are 10.5 million residential swimming pools in the United States, according to the Association of Pool & Spa Professionals (APSP). The majority of these pools can be expected to have leak problems at least once during their service life. On average, a swimming pool constructed over 10 years ago will leak once every six years. If constructed more than 20 years ago, this rate drops to every four years.
There are few statistics available for hot tubs, although there are more of these in the United States than either above or in-ground pools. In fact, there are more than 1.2 million swimming pools in California alone, according to the APSP.
The states containing the most in-ground, residential pools may surprise you. As of 2011, they include:
American Leak Detection announces our latest detection method- The Odor Control System.
Finding sewer odors can be time consuming. This patented smoke technology specializes in locating hidden leaks in concealed plumbing and drain lines, whether it’s in your home, business, multi-commercial building, restaurant, school or shopping mall.
American Leak Detection's Jimmy Carter operates the new Odor Control System
It offers an alternative to the old method which used smelly smoke bombs and disrupted activity. Don’t “bomb” your home with additional sulfuric smoke. This offers a pleasant and non-toxic citrus smell, so leaks can be located even during business hours.
Our proprietary smoke technology and expertise help us efficiently locate the problem area quickly, safely and easily. Call us first if you smell a foul odor in common spaces when running drainage lines, or if you suspect a leak in the sewage system.
Many homes across the country that are more than 30 years old contain cast iron plumbing. Although this type of infrastructure may have been designed to last for many years, it doesn’t mean the iron cannot become damaged and start to leak over time.
Cast iron pipes, commonly used in a building’s drainage, waste and vent system, can corrode and crack from within. This corrosive process causes bigger problems such as drainage issues and shifting foundation that usually starts in places you can’t see. A simple hairline crack can easily spread along the entire length of a pipe, especially if it’s near the end of its life. Cast iron pipes often rust along the bottom of the horizontal sections where water accumulates and pools. Also, look for any cracks along the top of the pipe or at its seam.
Sometimes, homeowners try patching a pipe that has cracked or developed a pinhole leak, but this is only a temporary fix. A professional should remove any section of pipe showing signs of failure.
Your local American Leak Detection office now offers residential plumbing inspections.If you suspect your cast iron pipes are failing, take action now before major damage occurs. Our licensed plumbing technicians can remove and replace impaired sections using another cast iron or PVC pipe.
The alarm clocks buzzes and a new day has already begun. It’s time to jump out of bed and hit the shower. After turning the nozzle all the way to the left and waiting for the water to heat up, you realize something must be wrong. It’s ice cold.
Your hot water heater plays an important role in both the function of your home’s plumbing system and your daily routine. But often, this device never crosses a homeowner’s mind until an issue arises…and you’re forced out of slumber by a cold shower.
Water heaters are one appliance many people assume are maintenance free. But, to the contrary, these must be kept in working order throughout the year just like other appliances in your home. If you hear a gurgling sound coming from your water heater, it’s time to hire a professional to inspect the unit.
The most common cause of gurgling noises is sediment that has built up over time in the bottom of the tank. As water is heated, minerals are released and left behind in the tank. If you don’t periodically remove the accumulation, it can build up and eventually clog the drain valve. In order to stop this sediment buildup in its tracks, experts recommend hiring a professional to drain your water heater once a year. If you have water with a high mineral content, or “hard water,” then you may need to flush the sediment more often.
Draining the unit will clean out the sediment which has settled, help your water heater run more efficiently and last longer. It is not a job you want to tackle on your own- there is not only a chance of scalding oneself, but there will be a huge mess to clean if you don’t run the hoses correctly. If you have an electric water heater, it’s also important to shut off the power before emptying the tank- if you don’t, it will destroy the heating elements.
How long does a water heater last? This depends on how well it is maintained, the water quality in your community, proper installation and how often it’s used.
For more information about maintaining your hot water heater, call your local American Leak Detection office.
The American Leak Detection system has been named a preferred vendor with Esurance, an Allstate Company who is now offering renters insurance and will provide homeowners insurance in the near future.
“We’re excited to begin providing services to Esurance,” said Michelle Hoglund, director of administration at American Leak Detection. “Esurance adjustors are utilizing our services when they must provide a report on the cause and origin of water loss. Also, for those American Leak Detection locations that offer plumbing related repairs, the property owner may select us to have the damaged source repaired or replaced.”
This new relationship will allow American Leak Detection offices to expand their mission even further- to save renters and homeowners’ water, time and money.
Home insurance is one thing that everyone needs, but hopes they will never have to use.
Many homeowners assume that purchasing this necessary policy will be a costly decision, but this is not always the case. Insurance companies often provide substantial discounts to policyholders who take preventive measures. In fact, they reward such behavior by offering a lower premium rate when owners take simple steps such as installing a burglar alarm or indoor sprinkler system in case of fire. These discounted rates encourage behavior that reduces the number and cost of claims.
Industry experts encourage homeowners to ask their agent which types of cost-saving measures are available and if the system is company approved.
One way to ensure the health of your property, while also receiving potential insurance discounts, is by conducting an annual leak inspection home audit of your plumbing infrastructure. American Leak Detection offers a curb to back fence 15+ point checklist inspection when an expert technician can examine every area of your property for potential problems before issues arise. Many leaks are hidden beneath the surface or behind walls and are not visible until water, stains or mold surface.
It’s important to be aware of the fact that floods are not covered by a standard home insurance policy. You can take preventative measures today to reduce your insurance costs and avoid a headache later.
The Golden Estates Mobile Home Community, located just outside Atlanta, received a $27,000 water bill in January 2011 when Manager Crissy King said she “just wanted to cry.” Instead, she decided to investigate what happened. Although she suspected a massive water leak, there was little evidence to prove it- no water bubbled from the pavement and their gutters ran dry. The community used 850,000 gallons of water in one month, 34 times their average, and it had to be going somewhere.
King contacted two plumbers to investigate potential leaks, but neither discovered the source. After researching American Leak Detection of Atlanta through the Better Business Bureau, she decided to hire them. Now, four service calls and seven leaks later, the dilemma is solved.
The 50-acre mobile home community in Douglasville includes 234 lots. Although the property owner is responsible for maintaining the underground water lines, each home has its own sub-meter. Technicians shut off each lot’s sub-meter, concluding the main meter was still leaking 25 gallons of water per minute. It was finally determined the leaks were caused by aging pipes located 7 feet beneath the surface.
“We expect to save more than $100,000 every year on our water bills,” King said. “So, as you can imagine, my bosses are very happy the staff has been proactive in tackling this problem. Where other companies had failed us, American Leak Detection came through.”
To maintain their current usage of 25,000 gallons of water per month, King said the owner plans to repair all future leaks once they are found. The property received a $20,000 credit from the local water authority in 2011.
Earthquakes not only rattles you nerves, it rattles and shakes everything.Many people do not think about the pipes that are underground are also moving with thousand s of tons of dirt during an earthquake.These lines can crack, break or even loosen fittings.
Due to the recent earthquakes American Leak Detection has some pre-caution info for our local residence.Here are a couple of tips and pre-cautions to check following an earthquake.
Here are a couple of tips and pre-cautions a homeowner can perform themselves following a earthquake.
·Check the pool for leaks by performing a Bucket Test.This is a simple test that takes a period of 24 hours.You will need a 5 gallon bucket, tape or a permanent marker to perform this test.
1.Place the bucket on the first or second step of the pool.Ensure that the bucket is immersed in the pool at least five inches.
2.Mark the water level inside the bucket with tape or a permanent marker.
3.Let the bucket sit for a period of 24 hours.
4.After 24 hours, you want to compare the two water levels (inside/out).The inside of the bucket will represent the normal evaporation rate and the outside of the bucket will represent the how much you pool is losing.
5.Measure the two distances and they should be the same.If they are different, that tells the homeowner how much the pool is losing compared to evaporation, indicating there is a leak.Call for a Leak detection ASAP.
·Check your front “Water Meter” for the house.This meter is usually by the curb or street and it is either in a plastic or concrete box.Most times they are marked “Meter”.
1.Mark with either tape or a pen the line the meter is currently at.
2.Left the meter sit for a period of 45 minutes to 1 hour without using any water in the house.
3.After step 2, check the mark from before.If it shows that the meter has moved at all within this time with no water being used in the house, there is a leak somewhere.This means there is a water leak on the domestic or pressurized hot/cold water lines inside or below your house.
4.If there is no movement there is NO LEAKS.If there is any movement then you need a Leak Detection to locate the problem before the problem escalates.
·Pool/Spa Electricity: Another concern is electricity for the pool light or the equipment.
1.Outside the pool visually look at the light to try to determine if there is water inside the pool light.If there is water in the light, you want to turn off the electricity feeding that light immediately.Now you need a leak detection to locate the source of the leak or electrical problem.
2.Your pool has a GFI (ground-fault circuit-interrupters) that is suppose to trip the electric system if there is a short or problem. If cause of failure these pre-cautions are important to avoid injuries or death.
3.There may not be sufficient current flowing in the water to blow a fuse, but sufficient to kill you. Some electricity will flow directly to earth and some will flow through the water. In fact, there will still be an electric potential difference in the vicinity (probably the whole pool) of the exposed conductor. Consequently, some of the electricity will flow through the pool water, some will flow through the person in the pool, and some will flow through to earth.
4.Call the professionals at American Leak Detection if you have any questions.
714-836-8477 or 800-990-5325
Heres an example of what happens to a pool during our recent earthquake Sunday April 4th:
Due to the recent earthquakes American Leak Detection has some pre-caution info for our local residence.Below are a couple of tips and pre-cautions to check following an earthquake.
Earthquakes not only rattles you nerves, it rattles and shakes everything.Many people do not think about the pipes that are underground are also moving with thousand s of tons of dirt during an earthquake.These lines can crack, break or even loosen fittings.
Here are a couple of tips and pre-cautions a homeowner can perform themselves following a earthquake.
·Check the front “Water Meter” for your house.This meter is usually by the curb or street and it is either in a plastic or concrete box.Most times they are marked “Meter”.
1.Mark with either tape or a pen the line the meter is currently at.
2.Left the meter sit for a period of 45 minutes to 1 hour without using any water in the house.
3.After step 2, check the mark from before.If it shows that the meter has moved at all within this time with no water being used in the house, there is a leak somewhere.This means there is a water leak on the domestic or pressurized hot/cold water lines inside or below your house.
4.If there is no movement there is NO LEAKS.If there is any movement then you need a Leak Detection to locate the problem before the problem escalates.
·Check your pool for leaks by performing a Bucket Test.This is a simple test that takes a period of 24 hours.You will need a 5 gallon bucket, tape or a permanent marker to perform this test.
1.Place the bucket on the first or second step of the pool.Ensure that the bucket is immersed in the pool at least five inches.
2.Mark the water level inside the bucket with tape or a permanent marker.
3.Let the bucket sit for a period of 24 hours.
4.After 24 hours, you want to compare the two water levels (inside/out).The inside of the bucket will represent the normal evaporation rate and the outside of the bucket will represent the how much you pool is losing.
5.Measure the two distances and they should be the same.If they are different, that tells the homeowner how much the pool is losing compared to evaporation, indicating there is a leak.Call for a Leak detection ASAP.
·Pool/Spa Electricity: Another concern is electricity for the pool light or the equipment.
1.Outside the pool visually look at the light to try to determine if there is water inside the pool light.If there is water in the light, you want to turn off the electricity feeding that light immediately.Now you need a leak detection to locate the source of the leak or electrical problem.
2.Your pool has a GFI (ground-fault circuit-interrupters) that is suppose to trip the electric system if there is a short or problem. If cause of failure these pre-cautions are important to avoid injuries or death.
3.There may not be sufficient current flowing in the water to blow a fuse, but sufficient to kill you. Some electricity will flow directly to earth and some will flow through the water. In fact, there will still be an electric potential difference in the vicinity (probably the whole pool) of the exposed conductor. Consequently, some of the electricity will flow through the pool water, some will flow through the person in the pool, and some will flow through to earth.
4.Call the professionals at American Leak Detection if you have any questions.
619-233-0382 or 760-432-6417 Toll Free 800-619-5325
Heres an example of what happens to a pool during our recent earthquake Sunday April 4th:
When homeowners are facing a high water bill, see visible wet spots on the floor, or notice water damage, many choose to contact their insurance adjuster and pass along the headache to them. That’s what insurance is for, right?
