Finding Leaks in Your Household Plumbing - Electronic Leak Detection

Generally speaking electronic leak detection is used for locating leaks on underground water lines. Leaks above the slab and under raised foundations (wood floors), are not discernible with conventional leak detecting equipment and are better and more economically dealt with by conventional means.

Finding the leak

Sewer and drain line leaks are best located with sewer cameras. To begin with it should be determined that there is a leak under a concrete floor, before initiating electronic leak detection. Signals are a hot spot on the floor, the sound of water running when all plumbing fixtures are not in use and water coming from someplace on the floor (ground floor), or at a low point on a wall (1st story). Hot water coming from a cold tap and a water heater that does not shut off, or re-ignites quickly, are other signs. At that point one should check the water meter. If the needle is moving and no plumbing fixtures, or bibs, are in use, then there is definitely a leak somewhere. If the main shut-off valve is closed and the meter's needle stops, it indicates that the leak is in the house (building). Otherwise it is occurring between the meter and the dwelling.

Location of leak

Once it is determined that the leak is in the house, the house shut-off valve can be reopened (causing the meter needle to resume movement) and the hot water shut-off valve, located on the cold water inlet to the water heater, can be closed. If the needle again stops moving, it means the leak is on the hot water line.

Once it has been determined where the leak is, the loss of water can be controlled by closing either the hot water heater shut-off valve, which will still leave you with the permanent use of cold water, or by closing the house shut-off valve, if it is a cold water leak, which will leave you with no water. If there is not substantial water coming into the dwelling, these valves can be re-opened for short term use and then re-closed during times of non-use. This allows the occupants to flush toilets, take showers, wash dishes and laundry, etc., while the diagnoses and repair process is being implemented.

To perform the leak detection, the pipes are disconnected, usually at the water heater, and pressurized with nitrogen. This particular gas is excellent for making a "high-pitched" sound that is easily detected through a set of high-quality head phones using a sophisticated listening device. Once the highest decibel of sound is located, the leak is pin-pointed. Occasionally the sound will transfer through a channel of some kind, usually plastic pipe wrapping and the point of discovery may be a few inches or feet away, but we have experienced better than 95% accuracy with our electronic leak detection equipment.

Gary R. Tanner
Owner - Town and Country Plumbing
http://www.repairplumber.com

Quiet HEPA Air Purifier - 3 Tips for Finding the Right One

Finding a quiet HEPA air purifier means your indoor air quality will stay at its freshest without the noise sometimes associated with a high efficiency particle arresting air purifier. Here are 3 tips for making sure your purifier is a HEPA and will remove the pollutants you want, and that it will function quietly.

• 1. First determine how much sound the air purifier will make on each speed. To do this, look for a decibel rating in the technical specifications for the purifier. A decibel is a measurement of sound and is usually designated by (dB). Total silence is measured at 0 decibels, a whisper is approximately 15 (dB), and normal conversation is about 60 (dB). Having the decibel measurements for each of the air flow speeds of the purifier will give you an accurate idea of how much sound the purifier is like to make on each of the air flow speeds.

• 2. Next, you will want to be sure that the purifier is a high efficiency particle arresting air purifier. This means that the filter should remove pollutants that are as small as .3 and some HEPA purifiers will remove pollutants as small as .1 micron in size. A micron is defined as a one millionth of a meter. And to give you some idea of pollutant size, one inch is 25,400 microns. In microns pollen is 10-1,000, dust mites are 100-300, copier toner is .5 up to 15. Check to see what the smallest size particle is that the air purifier will remove.

• 3. Having the decibel rating and the micron size will certainly help point you in the right direction for a quiet HEPA air purifier, but there is nothing let seeing for yourself how the product will work in your home or office. Select a company that will allow you to try the air purifier for 30 days with a money back guarantee. That way you can be certain you have chosen the best air purifier for you and your family.

Checking the decibel and micron rating, and choosing a company with a 30 day trial period will help insure that you bring home the best quiet HEPA air purifier for you and your family.

Take good care,

Debbie Davis

Debbie Davis is President of PurerAir.com which offers Austin Air and Blueair HEPA air purifiers for the improvement of indoor air quality. Visit us now to see the Blueair 501 with HEPASilent Technology Blueair 501 HEPA Air Purifier, or call our 24 hour customer support line at (800) 997-2989 for expert advice.