Posts Tagged ‘tips’

Become a “Leak Detective” during Fix-A-Leak Week

Thursday, February 17th, 2011

Looking for ways to save money during the current recession? Here’s a suggestion: Check your home for “hidden” water leaks. March 15-21 marks the EPA’s Fix-a-Leak Week, and it’s a great time to run some simple tests to see if your money is, literally, going down the drain.

These EPA statistics are real eye-openers:
• A leaking toilet can waste up to 90,000 gallons of water in 30 days. At today’s rates, that can add up to $500 to a single water bill.
• A single, pin-hole sized leak in a pipe or faucet fitting can waste almost 360,000 gallons of water in a year. If the hole is in a metal pipe, at 40 psi, water is lost at a rate of 2,500 gallons in just 24 hours.

And, money isn’t the only thing you’ll save if you take care of those sneaky leaks in your home. Undetected leaks can cause your floors to buckle or allow mold to take hold – problems that can be expensive and difficult to reverse.

Here are a couple of ways you can become a “leak detective” in your home:

• Check your water bill during the winter months. If your family of four is using more than 12,000 gallons of water per month, chances are you have a serious water leak.

• Run a water meter test. Pick a time when you will not use any water for a two-hour period, and jot down the readings on your water meter. Check the meter again at the end of the two-hour period. If the reading has changed, you probably have a leak. So, how do you begin tracking down the leak? Well, you can eliminate the toilet tank as the source of the leak by shutting off the valves under all the toilets in your home or building, and then conducting the meter test again for at least 30 minutes. If the numbers on the meter don’t change, you probably have a toilet leak. If they still change, even when the toilets have been shut off, then you may need a leak detection specialist to pinpoint the source of the leak.

• Conduct a dye test. If you suspect a toilet leak, place a couple of drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. Do not flush the toilet for 15 minutes. If the color shows up in the toilet bowl, you have a leak. (Flush the toilet immediately at the end of this test to avoid staining the tank and bowl.)

These simple tests won’t cost you a penny, but they can save you a lot. And, repairing water leaks promptly makes sense, not only for your budget but for our water supply, too.

If you need help tracking down the source of a leak, the trained technicians at American Leak Detection can help. We use state-of-the-art technology and equipment to detect leaks, using the most non-invasive leak detection possible, to minimize disruption and expense in repairing even the most difficult leaks.

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Posted in EPA, Water Conservation, Water Conservation News | No Comments »

A How-To Guide for Checking for Water Leaks

Friday, December 17th, 2010

December 14, 2010 — Pesky water leaks don’t always make themselves known through audible drips or visible puddles. In fact, the most troublesome leaks can often go undetected and cause homes or businesses to waste thousands of gallons of water as a result. Identifying water leaks, however, does not require sophisticated tools or machinery. With the help of some tips provided by American Leak Detection serving Massachusetts, anyone can detect a leak before the matter gets out of hand.

“With local residents working on curtailing costs and environmental resources, fixing water leaks should be considered a priority for the community,” said Jimmy Carter, owner of American Leak Detection serving Massachusetts. He goes on to put things in perspective by noting that a leak the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallon of water a year – an amount enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark.

According to Carter, members of the local community should be constantly vigilant of the water use in their homes. He says the following steps should be taken regularly to accurately monitor for possible water leaks:

- Check for changes to the water meter when there is no water being used – mark the indicator on the meter; don’t use any water for an hour; then check the meter. If the indicator moved, a leak may be present.
- Compare water bills from month to month to see if the bill escalates over a period of weeks or months.
- Inspect walls or floors for wet, spongy, moist or discolored areas.
- Examine building foundation for cracks, uneven growth of vegetation or earth shifts.
- Conduct a “Bucket Test” to check pools and spas for water loss. A loss of one-eighth inch or more of water in 24 hours is suspicious.
- Monitor the pool’s automatic filler; if it is continually releasing water, there may be a leak.

“If members of the local community notice any of the above symptoms occurring at their home or business, they should contact a professional immediately,” said Carter. “Left unaddressed, water leaks can cause costly damage to a building’s structure that may require labor-extensive repairs.”

American Leak Detection serving Massachusetts specializes in the accurate, non-destructive detection of hidden water, sewer and other leaks. Using proprietary equipment and methods, leaks are located without destroying walls or digging holes, thereby avoiding unnecessary property and other damage.

For detailed directions on the Meter Test and Bucket Test, please visit www.americanleakdetection.com. For more information about American Leak Detection serving Massachusetts, please contact Jimmy Carter at 800-755-6697.

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, call 800.755.6697 or visit www.americanleakdetection.com.

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Posted in Water Conservation, high water bills | No Comments »

Does a ‘humming’ noise from under the sink indicate a leak?

Friday, June 26th, 2009

Usually yes. A ‘humming’ sound coming from a water pipe is often a good indication of water loss occurring somewhere along the piping system. This can occur in two ways: Loss through a fixture or outlet (i.e. faucet or leaky toilet) or loss through an actual leakage point along the line.

It is pretty easy to understand the way a running fixture makes noise on pipes. Water flows at a rapid rate through the line and causes the pipe to vibrate as the water leaves the outlet. Also, friction created by the water flow against the inside of the pipe sends vibrations that can be detected by the human ear.

The sound created by a leak in the pipe itself is a little more complex to understand. Essentially, the humming sound created by a leak in the pipe is driven by a pressure difference between the water inside the pipe and the ambient atmospheric pressure around the pipe.

When a leak develops in a pipe, a pressure loss occurs in the pipe at the leak site as the pressure in the pipe tries to equalize with the pressure outside the pipe. This pressure loss creates pressure waves that travel in both directions down the pipe and away from the leak. We call this ‘leak energy.’

In most cases, the human ear alone cannot hear this leak energy. It takes electronic leak detection tools that amplify selected sounds. If you can hear the leak energy without equipment, there is a good chance the leak is close by or has developed in size enough to be quite loud.

If the humming sound you hear is not from flow or a leak in the pipe, a contact point between the pipe and a vibrating appliance or machine such as a refrigerator or air conditioning unit could also cause it.

In any of the cases mentioned above, you can save some time and money by taking a look around your home for some obvious clues. Double-check all of your interior faucets and toilets. Check outside hose bibs and valves, too. If you don’t find anything, you may need to call a leak detection specialist to perform further investigation with specialized electronic equipment and professional experience.

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Posted in plumbing, tips | No Comments »

EARTH DAY – April 22, 2009

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

This year make everyday Earth Day.

thanks to tree007

thanks to tree007

American Leak Detection has been helping people conserve water since 1974, however this Earth Day, we would like to help you reduce your environmental impact and stay hydrated at the same time.

The Value of Water

As many areas face serious water shortages and even drought, we can do our part to conserve precious supplies through small, thoughtful changes in their lifestyles and activities.

There is no shortage of news stories on the merits of tap water and bottled water from a variety of different perspectives. The truth is, while tap water and bottled water are regulated differently, both are generally safe, healthy choices. But only tap water delivers public health protection, fire protection, support for the economy and the overall quality of life we enjoy. Whatever you choose drink, the water system infrastructure needs constant attention to keep safe water flowing through our communities every day.

Bottled water impact

  • Tap water costs much less than bottled water
  • Plastic bottles are a source of pollution as 90% are not recycled
  • Bottling companies and tap water utilities are not regulated by the same standards
  • More energy used in manufacturing, storing and transporting bottled water
  • Every year about 1.5 million tons of plastic go into manufacturing water bottles for the global market, using processes that release toxics such as nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide and benzene. In the U.S. alone 1.5 million barrels of oil are consumed in making the bottles. Most bottles end up in landfills, adding to the landfill crisis.

Simple changes effect larger outcomes

  • When drinking bottled water, be sure to reuse or recycle your bottles to limit the environmental impact of plastic bottles.
  • Install an in-home water filtration system for improved tap water quality

Conserve Water:

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Posted in Water Conservation, environment | No Comments »