Posts Tagged ‘Water Conservation’

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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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Join American Leak Detection in Preserving our Water Resources

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

American Leak Detection We fix leaks!  In swimming pools, plumbing and irrigation equipment around your home.  And, fixing a leak is an obvious and important way to save water.

But, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and other corporate, scientific and government sponsors around the world have designated September 18, 2010, as “World Water Monitoring Day” to focus attention on the importance of preserving one of our most critical resources – water – in both large and small ways.

Many of us take water for granted.  After all, water covers about two-thirds of the earth’s surface, right?  What’s the big deal?  Well, according to the USGS, out of all that water, there’s only about one percent that’s usable by humans!  And, we can’t make or produce new water.  We have a finite supply to work with, so preserving that supply is something we all need to take very seriously.

Because most of the one percent of the world’s water that is available to us is contained in lakes and rivers, World Water Monitoring Day encourages people to take an active role in monitoring the water quality in their neighborhood streams, rivers, lakes and ponds.  Schools, service organizations and concerned individuals strap on their waders or slip into their bathing suits and take water samples and other measurements to help determine the health of the world’s waterways.  You can get involved here.

But, preservation of that “useful” water is also key to protecting our water resources. Here are some simple “checks and changes” from American Leak Detection you can implement in your own home to eliminate common water wasters:

Faucets

  • Check for dripping faucets or shower valves. If a drip fills an 8-ounce glass in 15 minutes, the faucet will waste about 180 gallons of water per month, or 2,160 gallons a year.  Simple fix: Try replacing the cartridge, washer or valve seat.
  • Change to a low-flow faucet to save an average of 3.5 gallons per minute.

Toilets

  • Check for leaks. Drop a teaspoon of food coloring in the toilet tank.  If the color appears in the bowl in about 15 minutes, replace the flapper valve.
  • Change to a low-flow toilet to save nearly 3.5 gallons per flush. To save even more, place an empty plastic water bottle filled with pebbles in the toilet tank as a simple water displacement device.

And, here are some handy tools you’ll find on our site to detect those “sneaky leaks” that can silently waste gallons of water each month.

Pool/Spa

  • Check for constantly running auto-fill, increased use of chemicals and a high evaporation rate. All could indicate a pool leak. (Note: Normal evaporation is usually 1/8″ to 1/4″ with auto-fill off.)
  • Tool: The Bucket Test and The Pool Leak Calculator – to determine if you have a leak and the rate of water loss, respectively, prior to contacting a professional like American Leak Detection.

Hidden Leaks

  • Check for silent leaks. Often not thought of are hidden leaks the size of a pinhead in a service line underground or behind a wall, which can waste enough water annually to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark. Monitor your water bill and usage monthly and annually.
  • Tool: The Meter Test for homes – to determine if you may have a leak prior to calling an expert such as American Leak Detection.

Each action that you take may seem like just a drop in the bucket of worldwide conservation, but if everyone takes responsibility for detecting and stopping water-wasting leaks in their own homes, the savings will really create a big splash! Share our tips with your friends to begin to make a difference today.

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Water Infrastructure Requires Investment

Tuesday, March 16th, 2010

“I don’t care why these pipes aren’t working!” one of the residents yelled. “I pay $60 a month for water! I just want my toilet to flush! Why do I need to know how it works?”

- New York Times

The person quoted above just wants their water to work. What many people don’t understand is that our water system is a luxury to those that lived before. Imagine walking a mile for a bucket of your daily water supply. For several generations, we have had the convenience of running water and we forget how good we have it. However, there is a cost.

An E.P.A. study last year estimated that $335 billion would be needed simply to maintain the nation’s tap water systems in coming decades. In states like New York, officials estimate that $36 billion is needed in the next 20 years just for municipal wastewater systems.

Saving U.S. Water and Sewer Systems Would Be Costly

Since our water infrastructure is aging, it needs continued maintenance. The cost may seem high, but it should be considered an investment in our future as we know it.

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Posted in infrastructure | 1 Comment »

Water Efficiency – Bridging the Infrastructure Gap

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

Below are the highlights from the article from Water Efficiency Magazine (July-August 2009).

Jimmy Carter, Senior Director of Field Services of American Leak Detection, was interviewed for the article linked above, and we had the chance to ask Jimmy about certain quotes from the article to provide more insight on the state of the infrastructure.

- nation’s water infrastructure system 2009 grade of D-.

Jimmy Carter: “Due to our water system’s age coupled with supply and demand issues, our water infrastructure is in desperate need of repair. Typical systems lose as little as 4-5% while some systems reach as high as 40 to 60% of unaccountable water that could be due to leaks, theft or non-metered usage.  Loss not only means waste, but also the expense of treatment and lost revenue.

Homeowners hate to see their water bills go up, but may not understand the bigger picture from the water district side. The cost for treating the water, upgrading infrastructure by replacing old lines, keeping the supply for new construction of new potable and non-potable systems, increasing production at their treatment plants, and dealing with issues such as the smelt belt in our California aqueduct systems are just some of the many issues water districts must face that would impact customers.

(more…)

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Posted in AWWA, Water Conservation, drinking water, environment, high water bills, infrastructure, utility locate | No Comments »

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