According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the amount of water leaked from U.S. homes has the potential to exceed more than 1 trillion gallons per year. That’s equivalent to the annual water use of All Southern California from Los Angeles to San Diego.

Phillip Meckey, Owner of American Leak Detection Serving San Diego, says “just by performing little changes and having awareness around your house can really add up.”

“American Leak Detection saves money and saves the planet by fixing leaks”

These are some tips to check yourself for water conservation and water efficiency:
• Check you supply lines, leaky faucets, shower valves, inexpensive washer/valve set through the house (usually under the sinks, in the laundry room and in bathrooms.
• Monitor any increases on your water bill.
• Perform a water meter test to confirm you have no water leaks.

Here is some examples of how much water local residents can save:
• Homeowners can Save more than 3,000 gallons per year: By fixing any leaky showerheads (one drip per second) and Faucets. A homeowner can easily replace inexpensive valve sets and washers. Also tighten all connection to supply lines, angle stops and all water connections with a wrench.
• Homeowners Can Save $6,300 gallons per month: Check your irrigation and sprinkler system to ensure it was not damaged by earth movement or earthquakes. A leak as small as the thickness of a dime can result in significant water loss.
• Save over 18,000 gallons per year: Homeowners also should switch to a low-flush, water sense labeled toilet. A family of four could save $2,000 in water and wastewater bills over the toilets lifetime just by installing these toilets, according to a EPA report.
• Save 360,000 gallons per year: Even a simple leak the size of a pinhole underground or behind a wall, could leak and waste enough water to fill 12,000 bathtubs

About American Leak Detection
Founded in 1974 and headquartered in Palm Springs, California, American Leak Detection is dedicated to resource protection and eco-friendly services. American Leak Detection is the world leader in the accurate, non-destructive detection of all types of leaks including hidden water and sewer leaks. From swimming pool cracks to concealed plumbing systems, the smallest leak is located with the most advanced, sophisticated electronic devices – without bashing holes in walls or digging up the deck or yard. For the last nine years, American Leak Detection has been ranked #1 in Entrepreneur® magazine’s “Maintenance Products and Services” franchise sector. In February 2008, The Wall Street Journal included American Leak Detection on its list of the 25 top high-performing franchises. For more information on American Leak Detection or service, CALL 800.990.5325 or visit American Leak Detection of Orange County

The EPA reports that ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons of water or more per day. This predicament requires positive action on behalf of all homeowners, especially families of four of more, which naturally have higher water consumption rates.

We encourage residents to use our online tools – The Bucket Test for pools and The Meter Test for homes – to help them determine if they may have a leak prior to calling an expert such as American Leak Detection.”

Contact: Charb Lenoir
Email: Clenoir@aldoc.com
619-233-0382

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 4^th: