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Leak Facts
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Signs and
Symptoms
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Is your pool safe I
Water Conservation I
Tap Water Quality
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Bucket Test
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Meter Test I
Flexi Hoses I
Domestic
water meter shut off key
Leak
Facts
You may have a plumbing leak if . . .
You may have a pool/spa leak if . . .
Is
Your Pool Safe? Each year, about 260 children under 5 drown in swimming pools. The preventive measures below are essential to protect your family against drowning.
As the leading brand in leak detection since 1991, Smart Leak Detection is committed to conserving water, our most precious resource.
Smart Leak Detection has found 13000 leaks since 1991 and counting. Conservation Checklist Saving water is like any other habit. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes. Become water-wise, it's fun to find more ways to conserve. Speaking of saving, be sure to save this Smart Leak Detection checklist. Hang it in a handy place - like your Garage or on the fridge. Use it to do a full leak check on your house four times a year. Just seeing it will remind you that conservation pays and preserves precious water. Sometimes a small investment can pay large dividends. For example, buying a low-flush toilet can save over 18,000 Litres of water a year! It's up to all of us - individuals, businesses, industry - to save the earth's resources. So remember, wherever you go, take your water-consciousness along. What works at home, works at the office! In General
Pools and Spa's
In The Kitchen
In The Bathroom
Outdoors
Other Conservation Tips
Make your move today toward wiser use of our resources. When it comes to conservation, every effort helps. Check out what you can do; then make it a habit! Save a resource. It's money in the bank. please go to www.sika.co.za
The Value of Water As many areas face serious water shortages and even drought, consumers can do their part to conserve precious supplies through small, thoughtful changes in their lifestyles and activities. There is no shortage of news stories on the merits of tap water and bottled water from a variety of different perspectives. The truth is, while tap water and bottled water are regulated differently, both are generally safe, healthy choices. But only tap water delivers public health protection, fire protection, support for the economy and the overall quality of life we enjoy. Whatever you choose drink, the water system infrastructure needs constant attention to keep safe water flowing through our communities every day. Bottled water impact
Simple changes effect larger outcomes When drinking bottled water, be sure to reuse or recycle your bottles to limit the environmental impact of plastic bottles. Install an in-home water filtration system for improved tap water quality
Bucket Test
The "Bucket Test" will determine if water loss in a pool is due to
evaporation or a leak: In case of rain, repeat the test. Test is not valid after 24 hours.
Meter Test
If the numbers have changed, this indicates water consumption even though water was not being used during the test, and you may need a leak detection. Flexi Hoses Flexi hoses are one of the biggest causes of damage to homes
in South Africa, we have seen more insurance claims due to flexi
hoses than any other type of pipe burst. The three reasons are
Domestic water meter shut off key Daily we come across plastic water meters that are destroyed due to the wrong tools being used, the correct valve key should be used and this will avert the plastic head of the shut off valve being damaged.
Water Hammer
Water hammer is a
pressure shock wave induced in plumbing supply systems whenever
there is a sudden change in the steady state condition of a
non-compressible liquid such as water. Pumps, valves, taps, toilets,
and fast solenoid-activated valves (such as commonly found in
washing machines and dishwashers) are all examples of devices that
can induce water hammer within a typical plumbing system. Water
hammer can result in noisy, banging sounds as pipes rattle and
expand to absorb the pressure wave. Shock waves in typical water
pipes travel at up to 4500 feet/second and can exert tremendous
instantaneous pressures, sometimes reaching 150 to over 1,000 PSI.
If left unchecked, water hammer can damage pipes, valves and
eventually weaken joints. However, the lack of noise does not mean
that water hammer is not present.
Newton's law states that for "every action there is an equal and opposite reaction." If water is flowing into a washing machine then is suddenly shut off, the kinetic energy of the flowing water reverses direction and must be dissipated during the transition to a steady state. This energy is initially reflected back through the plumbing system in a direction opposite to the original flow, creating an oscillating shock wave. Depending on the extent of the shock wave, a loud banging or rattling sound can be heard as pipes expand and move as the shock wave dissipates. If there were no friction losses and if the pipes had no expansiveness, the shock wave would continue indefinitely. However, as water flows through the pipes, friction due to internal pipe surface irregularities helps to slow the water, resulting in energy that is converted to heat. In addition, virtually all pipes -- including drawn copper tubing -- have some measure of elasticity. As the plumbing system encounters a sudden pressure shock wave, the pipes expand slightly to absorb the shock. Pressures in excess of several thousand PSI are possible during this brief instant, which is why water hammer can burst pipes and joints unexpectedly. Failure to properly address water hammer can yield the following dangers, according to the Plumbing and Drainage Institute:
Clearly, repairing any of these conditions "after the fact" is more expensive and inconvenient than designing a system right from the start. Traditional Solution to Water Hammer Traditionally, the solution to water hammer has been to install pipe risers inside the wall at each tap or valve junction. Sometimes these risers would be as high as 24" or more, depending on the pipe diameter. In theory, the risers would trap air as the plumbing system is first activated. The column of air acts as a natural damper, compressing as it absorbs residual shock waves from a sudden change in the supply flow. Many, if not most older homes today have such systems and some plumbers continue to install air risers because "that's the way they've always done it." However, what is not readily understood is that these risers eventually fail due to water logging. Over time, the trapped air in the risers dissolves into the water supply itself and the water level gradually rises until the air chamber is completely void of air at all. For this reason, some people who have never experienced the sound of water hammer may suddenly start complaining of "strange noises inside the walls." The only real solution is to completely drain the home's water supply system at the lowest point and gradually re-pressurize it. However, this solution is temporary at best, since the air chambers will eventually become waterlogged once again, thereby eliminating their effectiveness. What's more, further studies have also found possible health problems associated with air risers, such as an accumulation of rancid water, bacteria, minerals, and other muck that festers in the dark, dead-end chambers. If left unchecked and untreated, this could eventually contaminate the entire household water supply causing unexplained illness. Therefore, modern practice and, indeed, many plumbing codes, now prohibit air chambers in new construction. In any case, if you are remodeling or building a new home, DO NOT use air chambers to mitigate water hammer problems. Rather, design the system right from the start and you'll never have to worry about it again. A combination of proper pipe sizing and water hammer arresters are all that's necessary in most situations. Water Hammer Prevention by Design If air chambers, then, are not an approved method of dampening the impact of water hammer, what is the correct method? First, let's consider new construction where there is no existing legacy plumbing. In the case of a new home, there is total flexibility in sizing the water supply lines properly. Empirical studies conclude that water hammer is greatly mitigated when water velocity is kept below 5 feet/second within the pipe. This is a conservative number. And while CPVC plumbing is increasingly common (and is somewhat more forgiving at higher velocities due to its increased expansiveness), copper plumbing is still the mainstay of most commercial and residential plumbing systems today and is the focus of this technical note. So by us changing the systems velocity (not of our own negligence but purely working to a standard) we often sit with a water hammer. A loop in the pipe to the washing machine - with a flexi hose on a ridged piece of pipe should help, but the system needs to be checked over and jumpers in taps usually help to stop the hammer.
Noisy Pipes /
Toilet One of our most frequent questions is how to stop "water-hammer" when water has been drawn from a system. First it is important to know how it occurs. The entry of cold water into your tank and toilet cisterns is controlled by a "ball valve". As hot water is drawn from your emersion, so cold water rushes in from the cold tank to replace it. When you flush the loo, the same thing happens in your cistern. The incoming flow is regulated by a float, which rises with the water to shut off the valve when the tank is full. This float is generally in the form of a plastic ball on the end of an arm. When the mains cold rushes into the tank/cistern it causes ripples on the surface, the float bobs about, opening and closing the valve. It is this vibration within the valve and on the float arm which, when reverberating along the pipe, initiates the cause of water-hammer. The velocity of the water flowing through the valve means that when it is shut there is a build up of pressure behind the valve, as more water tries to push on through the pipe. This increase in pressure causes a pressure wave to form which travels back down the pipe. The wave then travels up and down the pipe until the energy is dissipated through friction, this is why there is a ‘hammering’ effect.
There are a few ways to
ease this problem, "professional" ways and DIY ways, none are
difficult, but the first thing to make sure of is that wherever a
pipe is up against a joist, rafter or other surface, it is fixed
securely. The first and most effective professional way is to
install an equilibrium valve instead of the standard valve in your
tank or cistern.
This valve works by allowing some water to get at the back of the piston washer to stop the arm jumping about. The noise reduction valve above it is a further alternative, this allows incoming water to disperse below the water line and reduces the "waves", it slows the vibration down but most often will notstop it. The cost of a noise reduction valve is about R120.00, with arm and ball and an equilibrium valve is approx R330.00. The noise reduction valve does make a considerable difference to the noise your system makes when filling up. The DIY way is very effective but slightly cumbersome. Take an ordinary yoghurt carton and attach it to your float arm with some galvanised or stainless steel wire, which will not rust. Suspend the carton just below the water line. When full of water it has enough weight to stop the vibration, but not too much to stop the arm lifting gently. If your pipes are not hammering but just making creaking noises, this is normally caused by the friction of the pipe moving on the substrate they are fixed to. Get some heavy duty polythene and fix it between the two surfaces and reduce the friction. Seasonal Tips for Summer Summer is the "home buying" season. Many new homebuyers find out too late that their dream home is riddled with water leakage or a poor plumbing system. In fact, 44% of consumers call a plumber within one year of purchasing a home. To avoid such unexpected and costly problems, we recommend that you visually inspect any potential home for problems and offer these helpful tips: Bathrooms:
Water Supply Piping:
Water Heater:
Standing Water:
Blocked Kitchen Drains On the discharge of the Kitchen sink often cold fat has congealed inside the pipes and they block, this needs to be flushed out with boiling water and caustic soda, However we first normally block the outlet where it discharges into the gully to prevent the caustic soda from escaping (blocking the outlet is done with a hydraulic plug) or a housewife or handyman could use old rags and stuff them up the pipe . Retrieving the rags can be an issue so one could first tie a piece of wire around the rags so the caustic soda wont come into contact with the skin when you retrieve your rags. If the pipe is not stopped with a hydraulic plug or rags the caustic soda just runs over the fat and down the drain. Most people make this mistake and dont allow the caustic soda to bubble and boil - Infact if you use cold water and block the pipes the chemical reaction will heat up the pipes automatically and then after 5 minutes let the plug go. However extreme caution should be exercised when doing this as protective gear such as gloves and GOGGLES to protect the eyes. Even a mask for inhalation is necessary. However" nothing beats calling Smart Plumbing with a professional drain cleaning machine to unblock your drain WITH A GUARANTEE
What Causes Pipe failure? A number of factors can work alone or in combination to affect the rate of corrosion in any piping system. Depending on the number and degree of these factors, even a new piping system can show signs of corrosive wear in as few as two years after installation. The problems are most acute in properties that have been in service 15 years or more, however. The corrosive effect the source water can have on a piping system does not mean water quality is poor. As an example, in the Gauteng & Cape region the water quality has been rated as some of the best drinking water in the world. Yet, that water still has a very corrosive effect on piping systems because of several factors unrelated to water quality:
The rate of corrosion can also be affected by the chemical make up
of the water and the amount of galvanic corrosion from the use of
dissimilar metals contained in or in contact with the piping system.
For example, a moderate level of calcium helps form a protective
coating on the pipe, which may slow down corrosive effects. The
operative word is moderate. Unfortunately, high levels of calcium
may build up in the pipe and restrict water flow. In addition,
galvanic corrosion (also known as Let’s take a closer look at the most prevalent factors that influence corrosion of piping systems.
Acidity of a water sample is measured on a pH scale, which ranges from zero (maximum acidity) to 14 (maximum alkalinity). The middle of the scale, 7, represents the neutral point, and acidity increases from neutral toward 0, while alkalinity increases from 7 to 14. This is all pretty straightforward, except that the pH scale is based on logarithmic progression, much like the commonly used “Richter” scale for earthquake measurement.
This means that a difference of one pH unit represents a tenfold
change in acidity. What difference does that make? In copper pipe
systems, when the pH is more than 8, a copper oxide film usually
forms on the pipe walls. This film acts as a barrier that slows the
affects of corrosion. The Amount Of Oxygen In The Water and Water Temperature A domestic water system is an “open” system, in which the water in use is always being replenished with fresh, oxygenated water. Dissolved air in water consists of about 30% oxygen and the rest is mostly non-corrosive nitrogen. Oxygen, however, degrades metals through an electro-chemical process of internal oxidation. As a result, the metal gradually gets converted to an oxide (rust) and becomes thinner and weaker in the process. As the pipe corrodes, the impurities are deposited in the water lines and encrusted build up is the direct result of this oxidation process. As for water temperature, the higher the water temperature, the faster the rate at which this oxidation occurs. While oxygen content decreases under higher water temperature pressure, these higher temperatures and pressure conditions can actually accelerate the oxidation process. Experience shows that corrosion is more pronounced in hot water lines than in cold water lines.
Water Velocity Water velocity problems are usually associated with a “closed loop” piping system in which it’s necessary to pump or circulate the water. Erosion corrosion occurs at locations where water turbulence develops, usually caused by excessive velocity. This is typically encountered when water makes sudden changes in direction (such as sharp pipe turns and elbows) and through “flow” obstacles such as burrs and excess solder from improperly soldered joints. In the case of copper pipe, a copper oxide layer is established under the right pH conditions on the inside surface of the pipe and this acts as a protective barrier. This is a good thing—however, when the water velocities are above four feet per second, the copper oxide layer is either destroyed or cannot form in the first place. Without this oxide layer the metal will tend to deteriorate at a more rapid rate. Other major contributing factors to this type of erosion corrosion include oversized circulation pumps, installation of undersized distribution lines and an improperly balanced system. If A Piping System Is Damaged By Corrosion, How Can It Be Repaired? There are several traditional methods available to treat the problems of corrosion, but each situation must be resolved separately, based on its own conditions. Some of these methods will be explored in a future article, but with each of the traditional methods, the cause and effect of the corrosion must first be identified so the appropriate repair is made. Instructions on Pipe repair to UPVC underground Cascade Permanent Pipe Repair Made Quick and Easy
Wrap clamp around the pipe. Bring together using locking washer plate.
Lock in place. Squeeze the lugs together & spin the nuts down.
Tighten the nuts evenly with a wrench - no rotating is necessary.
You have just made a permanent repair. Take a good look at the clamp before you bury it - it's the last time you'll ever see it!
Here a Kent water meter has a yellow non-return valve. On Golf estates when pumping hydrogen gas for leak detection we may or may not want the gas to flow through the meter – sometimes debris blocks the NRV (Non return valve and the meter allows both water and gas to flow in both directions). All Kent meters come out standard with a non return valve. The Leak detection technician needs to take cognizance of the NRV and when it will and wont work. The great little insert valves are supposed to stop peoples meters turning backwards.
Before a leak detection can take place the reading of static pressure on site needs to be taken recorded and decisions on Correlations or gas need to be decided on. Without prior knowledge of Static pressure on site the Leak detector is at a disadvantage so one of the first steps is to understand the pressure on site!!
Pipe location in Cluster developments Here we locate the sewer lines to find out where the water is going – through the gardens and over the walls around corners and past normal thinking that is fenced in by complacency. We break through boundaries changing the way people think about utility maintenance of pipes – the only sure way to diagnose a problem is to throw yourself completely at it – by embracing technology and having a passion for diagnostics we have successfully solved thousands of pipe problems. Tracing Water Leaks with Hydrogen HYDROGEN Hydrogen is actually the lightest element in the universe and hydrogen gas is the lightest of all gases. Hydrogen molecules move with a much higher velocity than any other molecule and therefore escape through leaks quicker than other gases. Hydrogen gas does also dissipate quicker than other gases thereby minimizing the risk for build-up background interference during leak testing. If you worry about increased background concentrations, try 5% Hydrogen as tracer gas. This is also the least expensive tracer gas you can buy. Some leaks are so big that you can see them or hear them. Other leaks are so small that you need a vacuum system to detect them. Most leaks are in the range between these extremes and can be detected with hydrogen tracer gas.
Never use pure hydrogen for leak testing. We recommend to use a standard industrial gas mixture consisting of 5% hydrogen in nitrogen, available from almost all gas supplier (often called Forming Gas).
SAFETY It is a widespread misconception that the flammability of Hydrogen would make it impossible to benefit from its advantageous properties in leak testing. In fact, Hydrogen is only flammable in the concentration range 4% - 75% in air or oxygen, and can only detonate in the range 18% - 60% in air or oxygen. By using pre-diluted Hydrogen one can avoid the flammable concentration range altogether. Standard Hydrogen/Nitrogen mixtures are for example commonly used as shielding gases for welding purposes. Hydrogen can therefore safely be employed for leak testing if used at the right concentration. A suitable concentration to use is the standard 5% Hydrogen / 95% Nitrogen mixture which is available in industrial grade from most gas suppliers. The price is only a fraction for example of the price for helium. The 5% mixture is classified as non-flammable according to international standard ISO 10156. This standard not only describes how flammability limits of gas mixtures are to be determined, but also states that Hydrogen/Nitrogen mixtures containing less than 5.7% Hydrogen are non-flammable, irrespective of how this mixture, in turn, is
Hydrogen is a naturally occurring gas which is totally non-toxic and has no adverse effects on the environment. Hydrogen can be found naturally or produced with very simple methods. In fact we all
have some hydrogen being produced in our stomachs! Other tracer gases either comes from finite sources, are expensive to produce or are potentially toxic. Therefore Hydrogen is the most environmentally friendly choice to make when considering Leak Testing with a tracer gas. A fact important to remember if your company holds an ISO14001 certificate or similar. Click on the links below to view the latest water rates
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The pH Of The Water
Hydrogen has some unique properties making it a superb tracer gas for
leak testing:
ENVIRONMENT