# Leak detection/location 101



## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

HO has slowly spinning water meter.

Checked the following first: Shut off the vacuum breaker feeding the irrigation system, shut off the main valve feeding the house. Meter is sill spinning very slowly. Installed a gauge on the sill cock above the main valve then charged the water service from the test ports on the vacuum breaker with nitrogen gas. The main kept eating gas but no pressure rise was observed at the sill cock so I know it's not leaking thru the cheap cpvc ball valve into the house and out a fixture.

Ok so we know that it's on the water service. Time to map the water service out. Can't use the navitrak because it's pvc. Opened up a solenoid valve on the irrigation system and opened the meter back up to leak some water fly threw and make lots of noise. Mapped out the path of the service via audio probe. Shut the meter and backflow back down; open the nitro bottle back up to 150psi so the leak makes some real noise. Passed down the path of the service with audio probe and found leak right in front of water meter.

Come to find out the service has been broken several times in front of the meter and repaired by the plumber that built the house (samco plumbing services, a competitor of mine). Nice repair samco. I like how they used a teloscopic and dresser even though there was a meter nipple right there and the meter it self is mobile because it's hooked onto polyethylene on the city side. The sch40 female threaded on brass is good to......


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

more pics


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

The last 3 pics are after the repair I did.


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## Protech (Sep 22, 2008)

Also, the pipe is only 6"-8" below ground.


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Protech said:


> HO has slowly spinning water meter.
> 
> Checked the following first: Shut off the vacuum breaker feeding the irrigation system, shut off the main valve feeding the house. Meter is sill spinning very slowly. Installed a gauge on the sill cock above the main valve then charged the water service from the test ports on the vacuum breaker with nitrogen gas. The main kept eating gas but no pressure rise was observed at the sill cock so I know it's not leaking thru the cheap cpvc ball valve into the house and out a fixture.
> 
> ...


If you don't mind my asking what type of audio probe do you use?


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## plumbpro (Mar 10, 2010)

I like the combination of a telescoping union and dresser, I can't believe that held. With the extra repairs it would have been faster to do it right the first time. How long did the repair take?


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## Unitedleak (Oct 27, 2010)

*Pro-Tech Leak Detection and Repair*

Those first pictures almost boggle the mind. I just shake my head as the screen scrolls down. Clever way to find it, and I would like to have green grass still.


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## ESPinc (Jul 18, 2009)

Nice job Protech:thumbup:

In your last pic did you know: In Wiccan or Native American rituals the quartered circle represents a "sacred space" or the sacred earth..

Just an fyi


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## ASUPERTECH (Jun 22, 2008)

Nice repair... Very professional, thanks for the pics... Why has it been broken a couple of times? Maybe they need some bricks under the meter box, or a flex on both sides of the meter?
Either way I'm sure you banked it


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