Can I Do Water Leak Detection Myself?

One of the important services we offer to homes is detecting where leaks are occurring. A large number of residential plumbing systems suffer from leaks, and most remain hidden until they start to create visible damage—and by that point, the leak has already caused extensive damage and wasted enormous amounts of water.

We recommend homeowners arrange occasionally for leak detection services, even when they don’t have reasons to be suspicious of water leaks. This is especially useful for homes built before 1970, which have aging plumbing.

But is it possible to do leak detection on your own? Well, “yes” and “no.”

You Can Make a Simple Water Leak Test

It’s not truly “leak detection”—at least the way professional plumbers define it—but you can do a simple test to see if your house is secretly wasting water. All you have to do is check on your water meter and write down the current reading, then shut off all water using appliances for an hour. (We recommend doing this at a time right before your house is empty. That way you won’t have to worry that someone may have accidentally flipped on a tap somewhere.) After an hour, check the water meter to see if the reading has gone up. If it has … you’ve probably got a leak somewhere.

You Can’t Actual Detect the Location of Leaks Yourself

The job of professional leak detection isn’t only to find out if leaks exist. It’s to find exactly where they’re occurring. After all, if your home does have hidden leaks, you’ll want them repaired! To pinpoint where leaks are, licensed plumbers use high-end equipment that requires special training: ground microphones, listening discs, thermal scanners, and video pipe inspection equipment. It’s crucial to find the exact location of pipe leaks so plumbers can repair it while doing the least amount of disruption to a home.

For leak detection in Silver Spring, MD, and the surrounding areas, talk to our plumbers today.

Mallick Plumbing & Heating Is the Service Contractor of Choice!