What is Smoke Testing Used For?
Have you ever smelled a concerning odor and were unable to find the source? Smoke testing is a leak detection method of finding the source of suspicious odors. By locating the source we can avoid or reduce costly repairs to get rid of the smell and stop a leak.
Smoke testing is a method of leak detection used to find invisible or hidden waste line leaks. These are almost always leaks that are not expelling any fluid, so they remain unnoticed except for the smell. The primary symptom is this kind of leak is usually if you smell a sewer odor, but you can’t quite figure out where it is coming from.
In addition to helping with leak detection, smoke testing is an effective method for finding lost sewer lines or drain fields. You may not know where your sewer lines or drain fields are, or they may be disconnected from your system at an unknown point in the line. Smoke testing can locate these for you.
Is a Smoke Leak Detector Safe?
The smoke used in testing is a small particle size and non-toxic, so you don’t have to worry about air quality during or after testing. The smoke is similar to the kind used in special effects for Hollywood and in smoke training for fire fighters.
Since the smoke testing machine is electric versus gas-powered, Clearwater Leak Detection can use this machine inside your home during the testing process. The machine can be inserted at any access point in the drain line. This means that the machine can be set at any clean out, p-trap or toilet (without the hassle of removing your toilet!). It has wireless control, to be turned on and off at any point during testing for ease of use while finding and verifying the leaks.
In addition to testing for sewer leaks, smoke testing can be used to find moisture leaks in roofs, windows and doors, and to find leaks in HVAC systems.
Resources
Smoke Testing for Leak Detection 101
When we claim we have all the tools and expertise, we’re not kidding. We have alternative ways to pinpoint a leak by inserting electric smoke testing machines in your home that won’t interfere with your living situation.
Alternative Leak Detection Methods
If you have exhausted all your options in investigating a leak inside your home, we may have another option. Smoke Detection allows us to find out the odor source, which leads us further to the source of the leak.
