PDA

View Full Version : Leak Investigations



dan orourke
04-27-2007, 06:36 AM
///////////////////////////////////////////////

Rick Hurst
04-27-2007, 06:58 AM
Dan,

Are you talking about possible a leak below the slab?

If so, you should tell your customer they need to call a Plumbing contractor who specializes in such detection. They have specialized equipment which sounds out exactly where the leak is.

I had a customer years ago that was a termite client. I had went back one year because they had a reinfestation. I had taken off my shoes are getting a little mud on them from walking around the house. When I went treking down a hallway all of a sudden I could feel warmth below my feet.

Anywho, they call out this company and they said they'd be right out. I decided to hang around to check this out. They had some equipment that I was able to listen too with some headphones that you could actually pinpoint where the actual leak was happening.

She agreed to let them do the repairs. After an hour, they had jack hammered out a hole in the slab directly over the leak and had it fixed. The flooring was a mess, but the leak was history. A tree root had actually pushed against a copper line and pushed a solder joint apart.

Sometimes you have to call out the pro's.

Rick

Rick Hurst
04-27-2007, 08:31 AM
Sorry Dan, I thought you were talking possibly of a slab leak.

A thermal imaging camera would be a great tool in the situation you describe.

A reputable stucco contractor is probably their first step. They already know they have a leak problem, no point in evaluating it any more. Call the person who can do the repairs.

Rick Hurst
04-27-2007, 01:39 PM
Tell them to go outside with a water hose with some good pressure behind it and spray it directly around all the suspected leak areas. If its leaking it doesn't take much time for the moisture to start showing up on the inside.

If still not satisfied, ask them to call their local fire dept. and ask them if they would be so kind to bring out the firetruck and hose it down. It sure they can crank up enough pressure for the leakage to show up. (If they don't take out the windows and doors completely)

Rick

Jim Luttrall
04-27-2007, 01:48 PM
Sometimes the best answer you can give is "I don't know".
And then let them know where to go to start the search for more information.
Sounds like that is what you did; sometimes a little humor about not having x-ray vision will help get the point across.
Jim