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Frequently Asked Questions
If after you review our FAQ you have a question, need clarification or would like a FREE Professional Consultation, let's talk.
What causes leaks? A number of things: time, pressure, temperature, corrosive soils, water tables, age of pipe, improper installation, soil shifting and electrolysis are a number of common causes.
How much water can you lose? Leaks do not stop or seal themselves. A small leak just keeps getting bigger. A small leak can easily lose 5 gallons of water a minute. Sounds small. If we do the math over a one month period, a system owner will lose 215,000 gallons in 30 days. That leak if not found will just keep getting bigger and bigger. Some towns, there is not only a charge for the lost water, but a significant sewer charge on top of the lost water as well.
How do I know I have a leak and what are some indications to watch for? Usually you do not know unless you know your system and are vigilant to keep monitoring the flow of the water. Your water meter is the best source of noticing unusual flows. Sink holes in a road or parking lot, running water sounds inside buildings when no one is using water., wet spots that surface and do not dry up in landscape or paved areas are some common indications.
I think I may have a leak. How can I be sure? Call FSC or your water department to be sure.
How long does it take to find a leak? It’s impossible to say sight unseen, as every job size is different. Some take an hour and some can take days depending on the system size. You can rest easier knowing FSC uses state-of-the-art equipment that helps to greatly minimize location time.
How does FSC locate leaks / hidden leaks? Vibration correlation. FSC uses electronic devices used for leak detection and leak locating. Acoustic sound sensors are placed in contact with the pipe, at two or more points, to record the vibration patterns emitted by a leak. A vibration correlating computer and trained skilled technician then sorts out graphs and patterns on a computer screen to sort out flow noise, traffic noise and leak sounds.
How fast does FSC’s advanced leak detection monitoring system work to find leaks? Once we arrive on site usually we can begin scanning within one or two hours. How fast the scan will travel depends on many factors such as total length of pipe, ambient background noise, branch connections, and pipe tracer accuracy. Usually a three-acre industrial or commercial site can be scanned in one 6-hour session.
Does FSC repair leaks? Yes, we are a full-service find it and fix it shop. FSC has all the technical expertise to repair almost any type of leak in almost any location or depth. From two-feet down to thirty-feet deep, in a road, parking lot, stream bed, river crossing, railroad track crossing, highways, swamps and sensitive wetland areas ... we have done it.
How long will it take for you to find and repair my leak? It depends on the situation. FSC is fast, diligent and equipped. Become a Pre-Planning Partner with FSC and schedule a thorough site evaluation. Being proactive in planning for a emergency leak can save out-of-service time, infrastructure damage and dollars.
What information do you need from me to help with locating a water leak? Blue prints are helpful if available, but not necessary. Contacts for fire alarm companies, accurate street identification and ownership names to coordinate emergency mark-outs with electric and gas companies servicing the site to avoid digging blind and breaking existing utilities lines.
What do you need me to do? It depends. Everything will be discussed during our call or on-site visit. While FSC prefers to look when ‘things’ are quiet to filter sounds, that isn’t always possible. We could potentially need fire systems put on test, we may need an extra pump to increase pressure, access to tenant spaces, and/or a scheduled shut down/isolation. Every situation is different.
I see water or water damage, but no meter movement. How can that be? The leak may be before the meter or not from the water system.
What should I do if I hear water running? Call us urgently or your water department.
Are my water lines in the concrete foundation? In most cases, no. Normally, they come through your foundation at some point to get into the building, but are not encased in concrete. Water lines aren’t supposed to be in concrete foundation, as it’s a code violation, but FSC has seen it all, including this scenario stemming from old school practices of encasing water mains in concrete to stop leaks.
What should my water consumption be per month? This varies by building. For example, a laundromat would be a high user and a gas station would barely have any usage. High-volume water users can easily mistake a significant leak as normal water usage.
Can a leaking toilet run up my water bill? Absolutely. If your toilet ran and did 3 gallons per minute, that's 4,320 gallons per day and 133,920 in a month, 1,607,040 gallons per year. Yes, you are responsible to pay the water bill even though it is a leak.
What will be the costs of locating a leak? We won’t know until we talk about scope. Call to discuss project and pricing.
Will my insurance cover leak detection? Sometimes. This depends on your insurance policy.
What will happen if I don't find and fix a water leak? It will get worse over time and then you will have to find and fix it when it's an emergency, and it will cost more as you will pay a higher water bill until it is fixed. Leaks don’t repair themselves.
If I have one leak, does it mean I will have more? Sometimes yes and sometimes no. A common scenario is when one leak washes out the pipe bedding of the pipe next to it causing stress cracks that leak several days or weeks later.
What should I do if I have had more than one leak? Pipes tend to break like a chain, at the weakest point. When you fix one leak, the pressure shifts to the next weakest point, and leaks there. It's rare, but it can happen, and we have seen it. Sometimes it is economically advantageous to replace the whole service line rather than repair on small area.
Will my home / business be damaged while finding the leak? It's never pretty when a water main breaks and it's going to get worse before it gets better, but FSC does do everything we can to restore service as quickly as possible, minimize water damage, and restore the site to original conditions.
Is finding and fixing an underground leak a big job? Yes, but FSC has decades of experience in this field and a wide array of equipment to bring to your site.
Can FSC do the entire job? Yes. We do all our own leak detection, mark outs, pipework, excavating, concrete, and asphalt restoration in-house. FSC is a one-stop find it and fix it shop.
Do you do pipeline repair? YES. FSC offers an early warning system that identifies problem spots within feet of a problem / leak / defect. Time is of the essence when it comes to aging infrastructure. Detect small leaks before they become big problems with help from our advanced automated detection system.
What is “logging?” Data logging. We log data with a data logger, an electronic device that records data over time or in relation to a location with sensors placed, providing rapid identification of the presence of leaks by monitoring acoustic noise and vibration patterns. The data loggers we deploy automatically measure and record information on a 24-hour basis. This monitoring and data collection process provides a comprehensive, accurate picture of conditions being monitored, enabling us to find hidden leaks in underground water distribution systems. In simple terms, it’s like having a watchman with a guard dog walking up and down your pipe line 24/7 sniffing and looking for leaks.
What is the difference between a water audit and a leak detection survey? A water audit is conducted to determine how efficiently a system is operating, where the losses might be, and help identify whether the problems are from physical leaks, inaccurate data, or authorized unmetered use. A leak detection survey is a physical evaluation of a water system to identify specific leaks.
Can FSC make an inspection of a home I am buying? We are not licensed for home inspections. However, we can check the water line and tell you if it's leaking or not.
Does FSC find leaks in pools? No, we don’t provide this service.