If you’re like a lot of people, then you might know how to unclog a drain but are a little lost when it comes to detecting leaks. But, the good news is that leak detection specialists can find pipe problems for you. It’s possible to find a specialist who will do a great job with your pipes without draining your wallet. But to do so, you need to be specific in what you look for in the specialist.
Why is it necessary to be picky when looking for pipe detection help? “Technology that allows an experienced leak specialist to isolate the area of a leak can save an average consumer hundreds of dollars in needless hit and miss digging,” says Steven Nagel, owner of American Leak Detection, Tampa. “Unfortunately, many consumers still have to bear costs associated with search and destroy methods when they call service men that have no modern leak detection equipment or no modern leak detection skills.”
Nagel, who has almost 10 years experience in home and pool leak detection, knows what to look for in a specialist because it’s part of his job to oversee their work. He believes there are six things to look for in your service provider:
- Experience and Resources. Determine what kind of experience the firm has in leak detection. Ask questions like how many years they have been in business as a leak detection company, and whether they are associated with organizations that provide leak detection research, development, and techniques. Find out the depth of the company’s organization. Is there is someone else in the company to whom you can go if the person they send can’t find the leak as promised? Do a lot of specialists really work for the company, or are you dealing with just one guy with a cell phone who may or may not call you back when problems arise?
- Guarantee. A good leak detection company should provide a service guarantee. Know before you start what the company will do if they can’t find the leak, if the leak is marked incorrectly, and if they’ll stand by the work and come back when needed.
- Flat Rate Pricing. Not all leaks are easy to find, and there is a great variance in how long it takes to solve a leak detection problem. An efficient and credible firm therefore will give a flat rate on residential leak detection jobs. This means that you’ll be charged the same price regardless of whether it takes 15 minutes to find the leak or 15 hours, and that they won’t dig into your pocket book again and again if they have to come back. If a firm offers you an hourly invoice, be wary, as agreeing to pay hourly wages when having no way of knowing how many hours you’ll be dealing with can be very costly.
- Licensed-Bonded-Insured. A good leak detection company will be licensed by your County Contractors Licensing Bureau to work in your county. Ask whether they have a contractor’s license or just an occupational license, and confirm that the company is bonded. Ideally the leak detection company will be able to provide you with a certificate of insurance for both worker’s compensation and liability insurance, and the dollar limits on those insurance certificates should be adequate to cover you and your assets.
- Equipment. Make sure the company you choose uses modern electronic leak detection instruments. With the advent of infrared and computer technologies, old methods of leak detection like placing an ear or stethoscope to the floor are pretty archaic and just won’t cut it today.
- Referral. Ask your insurance or property management company if they can recommend a good leak detection specialist to you; they often have specialists they’ve relied on for years for their claims. If the specialist you are considering hiring isn’t mentioned or gets poor reviews, he may not be someone with whom you want to work.
Keeping these six features of a good leak detection specialist or company is an excellent way to get over the anxiety of fixing a leak problem. Once you cure yourself of this anxiety, you can hire the best specialist you find and get your plumbing back on track, which Nagel says is vital to both your pocketbook and property value.
