Hydrostatic plumbing testing has become the standard protocol in residential plumbing services. Everyone seems to be talking about hydro static testing and it is for the good. Residential buildings are ensuring that their sub-slab sewage system has no leaks or other issues via hydrostatic testing. Professionals carry out the testing of whether a building’s sub-slab sewer system contains any leaks.
What is hydrostatic plumbing testing?
It plays a key role in the quality control of a building. The examinations are carried out to ensure the structural integrity and robustness for use of objects like storage tanks, chemical pipelines, gas cylinders, water pipelines, sewage lines, etc. The examination is done by filling the problem object with water till it is full and then there is pressure application. This is done to check whether the object can withstand pressure without bursting at any seams and joints and not allowing any leaks from within the building structure.
How is the test carried out?
Hydrostatic testing is executed on the exterior of one’s property. The technician needs to locate and have access to the clean-outs of the house. Clean-outs are the random stacks of pipes that one can find sticking up from the ground in the residential premises. Once the plumbing technician gets access to the clean-out, the testing begins.
The following steps portray the way hydrostatic plumbing testing is carried out.
- An inflatable ball is dropped inside the clean-out pipe.
- The ball is inflated to the maximum level so that it completely blocks the pipeline in the process. The motive behind this step is to check whether the water level drops and if so by how much.
- Once the line is blocked, a toilet faucet is pulled up inside the home as an observation point. Water from the faucet is run and made to fill the sewer system up to the slab level. For the next half an hour, the water levels are monitored.
- If there is no drop in the water level, it is good news as there aren’t any leaks. In case, the plumbing technician notices even a slight drop in the water level, there is a clear indication that leaks are there.
- The bigger the drop in water level, the more serious the leak is and it portrays problems with the structural foundation and demands for leveling.
After understanding the whole scenario of the water level drops, the technician will identify the spots of the leaks and thereby consider repairing accordingly.
Only professionals are recommended for testing
Conducting hydrostatic testing is not an easy job and requires execution by an experienced and skilled professional plumber. It is recommended by experts in the field that hydrostatic testing should be performed after the foundation work of a building, or right after one purchases a new home. Several building contractors demand performing the test to check the possibilities of any underlying leaks.
Saving thousands of dollars
When a hydrostatic plumbing test is done at such an initial phase of construction, it can save thousands of dollars in repairs of countless damages done to the foundation of the building because of mere leaks. It is highly suggested that every residential building must undertake regular static testing on plumbing objects so that greater damages and losses can be avoided.
How much can a hydrostatic plumbing test cost?
The cost of static testing varies from one state to the other. Moreover, the cost also depends on the service provider chosen. It is said that the cost of hydrostatic testing is nothing when compared to the costs incurred due to the damages caused to the foundation of the building structure requiring repairs. The costs could go up to more than $1000 or even more.
Whereas, usually, a hydrostatic plumbing test costs around $250 to $500. To get a rough estimation of the costs of the test, getting in touch with a professional company is recommended. They can precisely calculate by assessing the area that needs supervision and, accordingly, the calculation is done.
Conclusion
Hydrostatic testing is considered one of the safest, most reliable, and most effective methods in determining foundation leaks. It is a useful examination that must be practiced by both old and new homeowners to avert small leaks getting into bigger problems.
