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    Everything you need to know about diagnostic plumbing test

    Plumbing problems can turn out to be disastrous if you neglect them for too long. As soon as you detect or sense a problem, your first instinct should be to have a diagnostics test performed. This is going to help you identify problems at the earliest, preventing massive repair costs.

    Moreover, before your plumber can actually fix a problem, they have to run a thorough diagnostics test to determine the root cause of any problem accurately. Moreover, many plumbing companies will also offer a free diagnostics run and provide a quote before they fix the problem.

    What you can expect in a diagnostic plumbing test

    A diagnostic plumbing test is going to help you a lot, especially if you’ve just moved into a new home, are experiencing minor plumbing issues, selling your house, or just looking to renovate.

    The plumbing test basically involves the use of special tools and methodologies to detect complications in your plumbing.

    It can help identify the problem right then and there, enabling the plumber to fix it immediately. Moreover, the diagnostic test is also going to be useful to detect problems that may potentially occur in the future.

    Reputed plumbing companies employ a mix of both technological and physical inspections, using the plumbing access points in your house.

    Some of the tools used include electronic pipe cameras, infrared thermometer guns, etc. All these tools are used to narrow down what the actual cause of the problem is, and can be instrumental in identifying a weakness in the overall structural integrity of your plumbing system.

    For example, infrared thermometer guns are used to measure the increase or decrease in pipe temperature to determine if there is a problem with your water heater or the piping itself.

    Plumbing diagnostic techniques

    The hydrostatic pressure test

    This is an effective way to identify whether the plumbing system of a home or building has leaks. The plumber will use an inflatable ball and insert it into the sewerage system, clean it out and then inflate the ball to plug the main line effectively.

    Next, the mainline will then be filled with water up to slab height. After a couple of minutes, if there are signs that the water levels are decreasing, then it is guaranteed that there are leaks in your plumbing system.

    Inspection video cameras for pipes

    Another effective way plumbers perform diagnostic tests with virtually no residual damage is by using high-tech pipe cameras. They insert the camera into your home’s drain lines or pipelines, getting an overall view of the sanitary system.

    The infrared camera is put through various access points such as roof vents, toilet drains, cleanouts, etc. Plumbers then carefully observe the condition of the pipes and the drainage system.

    The pipe camera is going to help identify if there are obstructions, blockages, or breaks in the pipes or if the piping is deteriorated.

    Leak isolation diagnostic testing

    This is basically a mix of two inspection methods – the hydrostatics pressure tests and infrared pipe camera insertion. This combined procedure helps isolate various areas of your home’s sanitary sewerage system and will help accurately spot locations where there are obstructions and leaks.

    Along with inserting the inflatable ball via various access points such as roof vents, cleanouts, and toilet drains, the plumber is also going to insert the infrared pipe camera and then inflate the ball to block the water flow and check whether there are possible leaks in the system.

    Pinpointing water leaks

    Professional plumbers also use cutting-edge listening devices to pinpoint exact pressure water leak locations deep within your plumbing system. This is a pretty state-of-the-art procedure where plumbing technicians where insert a tracer system after they located the general problem area.

    The tracer system will shot short electrical pulses within the piping system and through the water to accurately detect where the leakage is occurring.

    Leak detection for slabs

    This process generally comprises of different procedures to detect leaks in your plumbing system. Technicians are going to use tracing systems, infrared cameras, and electronic listening to identify problems in hard-to-reach areas.

    The plumber is going to isolate the problem areas with static pressure testing and detect leaks in the sib-slab. This method is generally ideal for performing inspections underground.

    This form of diagnostic testing is quite comprehensive, and your plumber is going to be able even to tell you how much water has been wasted beneath the slab.

    However, there are a couple of signs that can tell if your slab is leaking. For example, if you see cracked pavements or a sense of foul odor coming from the area, then it is likely that you have a major leak.

    Final words

    Plumbing problems can turn out to be problematic and can cost thousands of dollars if you fail to take any sort of action at the right moment. Don’t neglect or shrug off piping leaks or drainage clogs. A small leak can likely turn out to be a massive problem in the future.

    Andrea Bell
    Andrea Bell
    Andrea Bell is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and express herself through her blogs.

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