San Diego Leak Detection Service
Think you have a water leak? Or know you have one but can’t track it down? There’s a lot more at stake than your water bill. Water leaks quickly lead to mold and bacteria health hazards along with progressively worsening building damage. Serving both residential and commercial buildings in San Diego, our professional leak detection service can help put an immediate stop to all that. And the good news is that trial-and-error “search and destroy” methods are no longer necessary. With our non-destructive methods, there’s no need to make a single hole without a precise positive location.
Water Damage
A plumbing leak in your home or business can become a big problem before damage even becomes visible. Whether from an unnoticed small steady leak or a sudden gusher, moisture can linger for weeks. Besides bacteria, mildew, and mold growth problems include drywall swelling and crumbling, wood framing warping and splitting, and insulation becoming essentially useless.
Water Leak Detection
Building leaks commonly occur on the roof, around windows, and wall penetrations for various utilities. Our IR cameras can detect and locate those sorts of problems, but our leak detection specialists are trained and equipped to deal with plumbing water leak detection and repair.
Did you know that the EPA reports that the average US home has a leak (or several) that wastes an average of 25 gallons per day (https://www.epa.gov/watersense/fix-leak-week)? And for 1 out of 10 homes that’s 90 gallons a day or more! A dripping faucet or leaky water heater are pretty easy to see. But what about problems inside walls, under the floor, or outdoors underground.
Although leaks moire frequently occur in the soft copper pipes used in the 1980s and older galvanized pipes, it doesn’t really matter if you have plastic, copper, iron, or steel pipes. All can need a leak repair. Problems are a bit more likely to occur in the supply or sewer line between your home or business and the street, but leaks are also commonly found inside walls, under the floor (including concrete slab leaks in the slab-on-grade foundations commonly used in the San Diego area) as well as raining down on crawl spaces and basements), and underneath or behind appliances. Radiant floor heating and pressurized sprinkler systems add more options to the mix.
Symptoms
If you hear the sound of dripping, spraying, or running water that’s an emergency situation. Shut off the water to your building and call us immediately.
More subtle symptoms that you have a water leak include mildew or mold, damp or warm spots, buckling hardwood floors, or uneven vegetation outdoors. Cracks in walls and ceilings may be the result of a slab undermining the foundation. You might notice sewer odors indoors or out. Or your only clue might be an increase in usage as shown on your monthly water bill.
Self-Check
You can do a quick self-test yourself. Shut off all water uses (don’t forget things like ice makers and toilet usage). Write down your water meter’s reading (you can find out how at https://www.sandiego.gov/water/rates/meters/howtoread). Wait at least 15 minutes, preferably a few hours, then note the new reading. If there’s a difference you have a plumbing leak. Somewhere.
Our Professional Leak Detection Services
Considering the possibility of water damage costing thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars to repair, if there’s any doubt call us in for expert water leak detection services. With extensive training and the latest equipment our leak detection specialists are always up to date on the most effective procedures, sometimes tracking down the problem within minutes.
Pressure Testing, Sewer Camera Inspection
For supply lines, attaching a sensitive pressure gauge can confirm the problem and detect the presence (and better estimate the size) of smaller leaks. For drain and sewage lines, a sewer camera inspection lets us look inside the pipe itself every inch of the way.
Location Techniques and Technologies
An old-timers’ experience together with isolation methods are effective, but they’re time consuming and don’t pinpoint the location — it often still a takes making a few holes to hit the problem exactly. Our leak detection equipment tells us the cause and origin, and most importantly the exact location of your problem.
We have an array of specialized tools for each specific situation and problem. Besides pressure testing, they include moisture sensors, ultrasonic acoustic systems, fiber optic bore scopes, IR thermometers, and thermal imaging cameras. Our arsenal also includes electronic leak detection, location, and pipe-tracing gear that work for non-metallic as well as for metallic plumbing. So whether it’s in supply lines, sewer lines, indoor plumbing, radiant floors, or sprinkler systems we’ll find it.
Insurance Tips
Insurance policy coverage varies widely when it comes to leaks and water damage, so be sure to read the details and follow their requirements for mitigating against secondary damage. If the problem is within the building it’s likely that your policy will cover the costs of leak detection, mitigation, and water damage repairs but not the plumbing leak repair itself. Neglecting a problem once symptoms have become reasonably evident may lead to denial of coverage because the damage was preventable. So keep an eye out for those tell-tale signs and check your usage (not just the dollar amount) on each month’s water bill.
On Target Plumbing
Locally owned and operated, we’re San Diego’s water leak detection specialists for residential and commercial customers. Bonded, insured, and licensed you can count on us for prompt arrival and truly professional leak detection services using the latest techniques and technologies. As a full-service plumbing contractor you can also count on us for expert and economical leak repairs, including slab leak repair.