Homeowners and business property owners are all aware that a water leak can lead to serious damage to their property. Whether from a slow dripping leak or a sudden burst, water inside a property can be devastating, damaging furniture, walls, timbers and other structural elements. But water leaks also have a large
impact on the environment, highlighting the need to get a leak fixed as soon as possible.
Wasted water One of the biggest problems with a leak is the amount of water that is wasted. Over 3 million litres of water are leaked every day in the UK, which is the equivalent of 1235 Olympic swimming pools a day. Although water companies have greatly reduced wastage since the 1990s, it’s still an issue that is closely monitored with set leakage targets. Particularly in the warmer months, parts of the country can face drought conditions and water is at a premium meaning pipe leak detection is more important than ever. Water leaks from pipes is wasted water and cannot be used again as there is always the concern that there are contaminants in it.
As well as wasting water, there is also the risk that pipes that have burst can cause movements of property and the property grounds. Landslide may seem a much larger scale of something that could happen around your home but the principle is much the same.
Reduced pressure The more water leaking from a supply pipe, the less pressure is present in the pipe system. To cope with this, more energy is consumed to raise the pressure back up. This is not an eco-friendly way of addressing the issue, causing a huge amount of wasted energy.
Contamination risks When the water pressure drops due to a leak, there’s the possibility that contaminants in the ground can get sucked into the pipe and travel through the pipe network. Contaminants can include bacteria and viruses, obviously not safe for consumption. This contaminated water could then end up travelling to our water taps.
Stop the problem While you can’t always stop a burst pipe or a major leak from happening, by taking good care of your pipes and having them checked if you suspect a leak can greatly reduce the risk of damage both to your property and the surrounding environment. If you spot a leak outside of your property or in the street, it’s important to report it straight away. The leak will need to be located and the pipe fixed as soon as possible. Depending on the location of the pipe leak, homeowners may be responsible for the repair and are often given a specified time limit to sort the problem with fines to pay if ignored. These measures are taken to ensure quick action is taken to reduce the time a leak is active, preventing further damage to property and the environment.
The Ferret Leak Locator is an example of a commercial specialist piece of equipment that has a high rate of accuracy detecting leaks than traditional methods. By using a plumber who owns a Ferret tool to locate the leak on your water supply pipes, a leak can be located much quicker without the need to dig up unnecessary areas of your property grounds. This means less wasted water and better environmental benefit.
If you would like information or to find out more about the Ferret leak locator, get in touch by giving us a call on 0800 292 2835. Alternatively, you can fill in our contact form and we will get back to you.