The Waterboy is a leading provider of commercial leak detection services in Los Angeles. Buildings such as storefronts, restaurants, gas stations, municipal buildings, warehouses, and multi-family residences are all considered ‘commercial’ buildings. Each commercial building presents unique leak detection challenges. To find the source of the leak, we’ll need to ensure that your water isn’t in use during our inspection. This can require sending notices to tenants or temporarily closing to customers. We’ll work with you to accommodate your schedule and the availability of your tenants.
When you suspect a leak, it’s critical to act quickly. It is your responsibility to ensure that your property remains safe for the public or habitable for your tenants. Unlike residential properties, your building may not be occupied all of the time. This means you could miss the warning signs of leak formation. By the time you’ve spotted the first indicators of water damage, the leak may have already wasted hundreds of gallons of water. From slab leaks to rusted pipes, each case is unique. That’s why having an experienced leak detector on your team is so important! As a result of our years of experience and expertise in this field, we tackle each leak a little bit differently.
Why do you need commercial leak detection services?
Commercial leak detection is a big job. The larger the property, the more difficult it is to find the problem. As a result, unscrupulous companies may delay the leak detection process. A plumbing company that provides leak detection and is paid by the hour has a motivation to delay the process and overcharge.
Reputable plumbers and restoration professionals may also offer leak detection services. While it may seem practical to bundle the repairs and leak detection, it’s unlikely that you’ll get the same value for your investment that you could expect from a leak detection specialist.
Commercial leak detection is a specialty that requires extensive experience and training. At The Waterboy, our business is built exclusively on leak detection, so we’re able to invest in state-of-the-art technology. The average plumber may not have access to these tools. This is because they are quite expensive and require significant training and hands-on experience in order to use them correctly.
Our non-invasive leak detection methods allow our technicians to get to the heart of the problem quickly and efficiently. We can even detect smaller, more easily missed leaks such as chiller water leaks, plumbing line cracks, outside seepage, or leaks in heating/cooling pipelines. Using tools such as robotic cameras and sonar technology, we’ll identify your leak directly at the source and mark the location for your restoration professional. If your leak is underground, we will locate your water line and indicate the exact placement of each leak. This means that repair teams can dig very precisely.
Repairing leaks can save your business thousands of dollars and prevent the waste of hundreds of gallons of water per day. Leak detection services offer exceptional value because our quick response will protect your property and investment, reduce the cost of repairs, and minimize the risk of undiscovered leaks.
Why is commercial leak detection critical for underground leaks?
According to the EPA, a leak that is only 1/32nd of an inch in diameter can waste about 6,300 gallons of water per month! That means that a small opening that is the size of a dime, could cost you thousands of dollars. When these leaks occur underground, they can be nearly impossible to locate. Any lines or pipes that carry liquid underground could be the potential source of the leak. It is not financially responsible or efficient to check every inch of pipe, so we use non-invasive technology to identify the problem.
One of the most common types of underground leaks is known as a ‘slab leak’. This is when the piping below your slab foundation develops a leak that shoots high-pressure water out of a small opening. This is very harmful to the health of your foundation and, if left untreated, can compromise the structural integrity of the building and promote mold growth.
Slab leak problems are particularly devastating for commercial and municipal buildings. This is because you’re less likely to notice the symptoms of a slab leak while in a commercial environment. For example, a slab leak may cause hot floors in your home. While it’s likely that you would notice heated floors at home when you’re walking barefoot, it would be unusual for employees to take off their shoes and walk across the flooring.
In addition to slab leaks, there are other unique challenges associated with commercial leak detection. Although most commercial and municipal buildings do not have readily accessible basements, many do have crawl spaces. You probably access your crawl spaces rarely, and as a result, they can be the site of untreated leaks. Crawl spaces also create the perfect breeding ground for mold, which can be a serious health hazard to building occupants.
Our goal is to preserve your daily routine so that little to no disruption occurs in your business. If you suspect a leak, be on the lookout for common signals. Some of these signs include the sound of running water, water accumulation, discolored walls and ceilings, peeling paint, mold growth, or cracks in walls. At The Waterboy, our leak detectors have the expertise and experience needed to locate the source of the problem without damaging your property.
