Best Method Of Leak Detection
A small leak can be a thief in your home’s water system, and a big one can cause significant flooding and damage. Tracking down water leaks quickly is important. However, finding leaks inside walls, floors, ceilings and slabs can present lots of challenges.
Fortunately, modern plumbing techniques offer multiple proven ways to perform leak detection. Which leak detection method is the best, though? Here is a look at the ways plumbers can identify leaks.
Common Methods
Acoustic Leak Detection
Modern microphones are incredibly useful tools for tracking leaks. Especially with increasing sensitivity and better cancellation of background noises, acoustic leak detection tools allow plumbers to find leaking pipes behind dense materials, including brick, stone and concrete. The method is also very effective at finding leak sounds from small pipes which tend to occur at higher frequencies.
Noise correlation systems are growing in popularity, too. By positioning sensors that transmit radio signals on either side of a pipe, a plumber can quickly collect data. An algorithm can detect anomalies inside the pipe that indicate the presence of a leak. Multiple sensors can also target hard-to-find leaks with greater precision.
Pipe Camera Inspections
Getting a good visual of the inside of a pipe provides useful information, too. Using a small waterproof camera, we can probe the pipe to see if anything is wrong. This is particularly useful for searching for problems like scaling, blockages and corrosion that signify a more general deterioration of the pipe. Camera inspection is also excellent for searching for tree root intrusions into exterior lines.
Some units include built-in transmitters. This makes it easy to correlate the real-time video feed with the signal so you can go right to the leak site.
Thermal Imaging
Water has an impressive thermal mass, and that means it tends to heat or cool nearby areas rapidly. Looking at large areas in a thermal imager can provide clues about the general location of a leak. Especially if you’re searching for a leak inside a concrete slab or behind a thick wall, thermal imaging is a good way to detect hot and cold spots. Even if the leak is relatively low-volume, there is a good chance it will show up as a cool or warm spot on the thermal camera.
Notably, thermal imaging is often a good first step in hunting for a leak if the location doesn’t seem immediately obvious. Once our plumbers have a good idea of the affected area, they can use other methods to narrow in on a leak.
Soap Bubble Test
If you’re familiar with any DIY technique for water leak detection, the soap bubble test is probably it. The idea is to rub soap around a location where there might be a leak. As a small leak comes out of a crack, the pressure will interact with the soap. If a leak is present, a soap bubble should form.
This is a particularly old and common technique for checking whether pipe fittings, elbows and solder points are leaking. It also is a very effective way to find a microscopic crack once you have targeted a general area where a leak ought to be. Once a plumber knows the location, they can replace the damaged pipe.
Tracer Gas
This is the more advanced cousin of the bubble test. Using a safe gas, typically a hydrogen and nitrogen mixture, a plumber can fill the pipe system. Sensors can then detect where the gas concentration builds up, indicating the presence of a leak. Gas tracing is especially useful when a leak is small and hard to find.
Moisture Metering
Water can leak into soil and building materials. The spread of water tends to occur at a predictable rate and distance from a leak source. Consequently, metering the moisture level in building materials or soil can give a good sense of how close a leak is. Particularly if a leak is deep in the soil, this method is a good way to determine its depth. This technique is good for beginning a search before switching to a more precise method.
Pressure Testing
Another gas-based method is pressure testing. Injecting dry air or a nitrogen mixture into a line will provide information about how quickly the pressure drops. If there’s a nearby leak in the system, the pressure should drop quickly. A slow pressure drop may indicate a more distant leak or a smaller one. This is a good method for ruling out specific locations. In addition to checking for water leaks, it is a common way to hunt for gas leaks.
The opposite approach is also possible using a vacuum system. By depressurizing the line, you can measure how stable the remaining pressure is. If the pressure is unstable, air may enter the line through a leak.
Dye Testing
This method mostly searches for leaks in pools. The idea is to place a colored dye in the water. As the water circulates, the dye should be attracted toward areas with pressure differences. If you see the dye strongly pulling toward a particular part of the pool, you can assume there’s a leak.
Which Method of Leak Detection Is Best?
There is no specific best method. You may have noticed that a few methods work very well over a broad area while others are great at targeting small leaks. In many cases, the best method is to start with a broad search method like thermal imaging before switching to something more precise like acoustic detection.
Some methods are ideal for specific environments. Moisture detection is great for hunting for leaks under the soil, for example. Dye testing is excellent for pools but won’t help much in zero-visibility environments.
If you’re worried that you need a plumber to perform leak detection, contact Service Minds Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today to schedule an appointment. Remember: if there’s any delay, it’s YOU we pay.
