Determining Hot Water Leakage Exists


  #1  
Old 04-03-04, 07:57 AM
Sharp Advice's Avatar
Admin Emeritus
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 1998
Location: The Shake and Bake State USA
Posts: 9,927
Upvotes: 0
Received 7 Upvotes on 6 Posts
Lightbulb Determining Hot Water Leakage Exists

Determine water leakage exists is basically a simple process of eliminating one possibility at a time to determine which appliance has the leaking pipes, etc.

Be sure no water is running in the entire house. (Includes all water using devices and appliances) Access water meter.

Look at the dials. One dial (usually in upper left hand corner but not always) is marked "half foot." That dial (called a test dial) should not move over a two minute time period. Watch it closely.

If dial indicator does move, water is running somewhere and someplace. Determining where is the objective. How is next process.

Turn off water inlet to water heater and retest by watching half foot dial again for two full minutes or longer. If test dial pointer moves you found the problem, hot water leakage through the hot water heater.

If the hot water unit is a hot water boiler, turn off it's inlet valve. Same procedure and principle than applies. Dial movement means water leakage. In this instance it's a hot water leak in the boilers hot water line somewhere unseen.

If the two units, hot water tank and boiler are not interconnected in any way, water leakage can be determined to exist in one or the other of the two or both of the two individual appliances.

If the two units (boiler and tank water heater) are interconnected, turn off one inlet valve at one of the units will than effect the water meters half foot dial. If dial still moves, turn off the other appliances inlet water valve. One will effect the half foot dial if a leak exists.

The appliance which does stop the water meters dial movement is the appliance which has the water leakage. Simple process of elimination determines which appliance has the water leakage. But does not indicate where the water leakage is located.

Water leakage determining may be a simple process or one that requires the expertise of a professional. Simple process below:

A slab leak may be indicated by a hot or warm, moist, dampened or wet area, if surface is bare or covered with vinyl or tiles. Wet may apply if floor covered with carpeting and may also be warm to the touch. Bare feet are often a good sensing method for the layman to use....

Raised foundations simply make the location finding slightly easier. Crawling under house to locate wet area(s). Basements are usually very easy in most cases but not all. Volume water leakage aids in location finding.

In some cases, slab and or underground water leakage requires the expertise of a trained professional using high tech equipment.

Sharp Advice. TCB4U2B2B Business Management Services.
Web Site Host, Moderator Hiring Agent, Gas Appliances Topic Moderator, Multiple Forums Moderator & Natural Gas Appliance Diagnostics Technician.

Personal Driving Safety Reminder: Buckle Up & Drive Safely.
"The Life You Save, May Be Your Own."

Edited & Updated October 3, 2006
 

Last edited by Sharp Advice; 10-03-06 at 07:28 AM.
 

Thread Tools
Search this Thread
 
Ask a Question
Question Title:
Description:
Your question will be posted in: