Leak Detection Balbriggan

A-Team Leak Detection were commissioned to investigate why there was mains water getting into a top floor apartment in a complex in Balbriggan.

The following were tested;

– Water main supply

– Related valves and controls

– Branches off the water main on each floor.

Inventory Used:

Ground microphone
Sensistor gas detector
Hydrogen/Nitrogen Tracer gas
Ground-penetrating- radar
Flexi-Trace
Cat and Genny Pipe locator
Thermal imaging camera
Camera scope
Correlator
Heavy duty breaker/Kango hammer
Battery power hand tools
Hand Tools

After an extensive investigation of the water main and the connections off it we established there was a significant leak under the ground which was reducing the water pressure thus restricting the supply to the top floor apartment. We then carried out an acoustic examination of the ground floor in order to get a location of where the leak was. This gave us two areas where leak noise was present in the ground. We then pressurised the water
main with tracer gas in order to give us an exact location. The area where we identified the strongest readings of both sound and tracer gas was on the balcony of apartment no6.

Next we excavated a section of concrete too expose the leaking pipe. A large brass stop cock had developed a leak over time which eventually turned into a much bigger split. We opened up a larger section of the balcony in order to carry out repairs. We replaced the brass stop cock with a more Philmac valve. This type of fitting is fit for purpose and is less likely to leak of a brass fitting in exterior applications. We also fitted a access lid and inspection chamber
should the water main need to isolated in the future. The main was tested and all branches off it were checked for airlocks before reinstating the concrete balcony.