Can plumber detect pinhole leaks?
A pinhole leak can cause a whole lot of trouble. It can go undetected for years, and in the meantime, it could damage your home or belongings while raising a high water bill. And yet, when you spot that leak in your copper pipe, what do you do? Call a plumber? But will they really be able to find the leak within their first visit? Here are some answers:
Yes, a plumber can detect pinhole leaks as well as other signs of leaks.
Yes, a plumber can detect pinhole leaks as well as other signs of leaks.
A plumber may use several methods to detect a leak. For example, a plumber could use specialized equipment such as:
- Pressure gauge to detect high water pressure in a pipe;
- An ultrasonic device that is connected to an electronic monitor and transmits sound waves through the pipe walls and detects any change in frequency caused by air or liquid under pressure inside the pipe;
- Visible leak detector (also known as a “water finder”) that detects moisture on surfaces inside the building structure where no visual evidence of water exists.
What causes pinhole leaks?
Many different things cause pinhole leaks. For example, the simple act of putting on a new faucet can cause corrosion if you don’t use the suitable materials or follow proper installation procedures. Corrosion occurs when any water is left standing in pipes for long periods and can come from a number of sources:
- Water pressure;
- Wear and tear;
- Faulty pipes (cracks).
These problems generally occur over time and are very difficult to detect because they’re so small, but they can still cause severe damage to your home if left unchecked!
How do pinhole leaks get fixed?
Pinhole leaks can be fixed in a variety of ways. Pinhole leaks are repaired by replacing the faulty pipe or by resoldering the faulty pipe. A new sleeve or patch is also used to repair pinhole leaks, and the epoxy resin injected into the hole.
Do water filters stop pinhole leaks in copper pipes?
Water filters are not designed to stop pinhole leaks. Water filters are designed to remove contaminants from the water. These contaminants could include sediment, iron, calcium and other minerals that can build up in a plumbing system over time.
Water filters will most likely not be able to remove all of these contaminants if they are already leaking through a pinhole leak into your home’s pipes. If you have been experiencing water leaks in your home or business, in that case, you may want to consider having a plumber come out and inspect any possible problems before making any repairs or replacements with new copper pipes.
A good rule of thumb is that if you have had any problems with your plumbing system lately, then ask yourself whether it would be cheaper for me to replace everything instead?
Why are pinhole leaks so hard to find?
Plumbers can find pinhole leaks. Pinhole leaks are small and often hide behind walls, floors and ceilings. If you’re going to have your plumbing inspected for a pinhole leak, you’ll need to let your plumber know the area where you think it is.
A professional plumber should be able to detect a hidden pinhole leak with specialized equipment.
A professional plumber should be able to detect a hidden pinhole leak with specialized equipment.
- A camera can be used to take a video or photo of the inside of your pipes. The camera will reveal pinhole leaks that may not be visible from the outside.
- A listening device can be used to listen for sounds caused by water moving through your plumbing system, indicating a pinhole leak somewhere in it.
- Dye testing involves adding dye to your pipes, and then watching where the dye appears on the other side of your home’s plumbing system (i.e., coming out into sinks and toilets). If it doesn’t appear when expected, this might mean there’s a pinhole leak somewhere in between.
Conclusion
Pinhole leaks in copper pipes can cause a lot of damage. Luckily, they are not that hard to fix. While the first step is to find them, this is the hard part! Once a pinhole leak is located, it can be fixed quickly and save you a lot of time and money in the long run.
If you suspect a pinhole leak, contact us at +44 20 8168 1121 for a free quote.
