Electronic methods of leak detection are popular in Toronto, mainly because they are non-invasive and cause far less damage than the traditional form using a jackhammer to dig up half your property. When you find yourself dealing with pooling water, damp basement walls and other signs that you have water leaks, get your plumbing contractor to discover the source of the water before any excavation takes place. Here are some of the methods of electronic leak detection currently in use:
Camera Inspections
The simplest method of finding out where you have a water leak is to conduct a drain camera inspection. Your plumber inserts a closed-circuit, fiber-optic TV camera into the pipes where he suspects the leak exists. The recorded material is displayed on a small screen in color and enables the contractor to see the interior of the pipes and look for signs of cracks, broken joints, and other deterioration. The film can be loaded onto a DVD or a flash drive for the homeowner’s records, and it provides the plumber with the information he needs to perform a repair.
Thermal Imaging Method
Thermal imaging or infrared leak detection makes it possible for your plumbing contractor to identify water leaks inside your walls and floor. The method uses an infrared camera to take photos of the areas where you discover moisture and wetness, such as around toilets or sinks, roof drains, and downspouts. The camera records the level of warmth given off by the areas filmed and converts the heat into an image of the light spectrum. These images show the temperature of the various areas and your plumber can identify leaks by the contrasting colors, as well as determine whether it is hot or cold water that is leaking.
Acoustic Leak Detection
The acoustic method of leak detection was first discovered in 1879 with the invention of the “topophone,” which made it possible for the operators to hear sounds such as running or escaping water from beneath the ground. Water makes very distinct noises as it moves through cracks and holes in your water pipes, and these create identifiable acoustic fingerprints. By recording and saving the fingerprints before you experience any water leaks, any future recordings can be compared against the baseline to find out whether there are changes that could prove to be significant.
Once these methods of leak detection show the contractor exactly where to open up the wall or floor, your chances improve of resolving the leak quickly and without excess costs.
