Common Questions About Water Leak Detection
How much water can a small leak waste?
A slow leak of 12 drips per minute (every 5 seconds) wastes over 631 gallons per year.
Imagine your building only has 50 minor drips in a year (a conservative estimate for the typical commercial and industrial buildings), and over 31,572 gallons of water has been wasted.
What are some signs that my building has a hidden leak?
Signs of a hidden leak include: unexplained water bills, damp walls, mold growth, musty odors, and sudden drops in water pressure. Discover more signs of hidden water leaks in this blog post.
Is water leak detection a Yes / No question?
No, water leak detection isn’t always a Yes / No question. While many traditional water leak detectors take the view that it’s a binary decision, in practice, facilities management teams often differentiate between some water being present, and what they consider to be a “genuine” leak.
This is because water may always or sometimes be present in an area, and the facilities team regards this as acceptable. In these cases, it’s important to differentiate between acceptable levels, and genuine leaks where the levels are exceeded.
This is a new approach to water leak detection, which only a very few technologies support.
What’s a false positive?
A false positive is when a leak detector alerts you, but there’s no genuine leak. For example, it could be a little speck of water, or even dust.
False positives are a major headache for facilities management teams and building owner operators.
Why? Because they're a huge waste of time and resources. Even if it only takes a facilities manager investigates 30 minutes to investigate one, it's 30 minutes of time wastes. And when teams are short of trained staff and resources - and with false positives happening frequently - it quickly becomes a waste that few organizations can afford.
What's more, frequent false positives cause facilities management teams to lose trust in water leak detectors. This may lead to them not responding promptly to alerts - which eventually means genuine leaks may escalate and cause unnecessary damage and downtime.
How quickly should water leaks be repaired after detection?
In an ideal world, you’d repair leaks as soon as they’re detected. However, current facilities management teams’ workloads mean that this is often impractical. In this case, being able to detect a leak and monitor its growth can help you to prioritize leak repairs with other pressing tasks.
How often do water leaks occur in commercial and industrial buildings?
In our 2024 research, facilities management teams indicated they were aware of an average of 2 leaks per building, per month. However, our real-world water leak detection data suggests that leaks occur far more often.
Do high-end buildings experience water leaks?
Yes, even high-end buildings experience water leaks. While some water leaks are indubitably due to lack of maintenance, high-quality buildings often have many times more potential leak points, and may still need to deal with aging infrastructure - both of which are factors in leaks occurring.
What are the most common causes of water leaks in commercial and industrial buildings?
Common causes of water leaks include aging pipes, corrosion, high water pressure, faulty joints, and extreme temperature changes.
How do professionals detect leaks in large commercial buildings?
Facilities management professionals use a variety of methods to detect water leaks in large commercial buildings. These typically include a range of water leak detection sensors, as well as some level of manual inspection.
Why is early leak detection important in commercial and industrial properties?
The sooner a leak is detected, the less damage it can do to the equipment and/ or building, the less operational downtime it will cause, and the less the repairs and water bills will cost.
What are the risks of ignoring a water leak in an industrial setting?
Ignoring water leaks in an industrial setting can cause equipment damage, electrical hazards, production downtime, and safety concerns. As a result, conditions may become so unsafe that they no longer comply with regulations.
What are the most common types of water leaks in commercial properties?
Commercial properties commonly experience leaks from pipes, fixtures, HVAC systems, appliances, roofs, and mechanical rooms.
How often should a commercial building undergo leak inspections?
Ideally, no one should rely on manually inspecting buildings for water leaks - it’s an inefficient and often inaccurate process that’s prone to human error. The right water leak detection solution should enable you to minimize manual inspections, if not eliminate them entirely.
What kinds of water leak detection technologies are there?
Acoustic leak detection uses specialized listening devices and sensors to detect the sound of water escaping from pressurized pipes. It’s effective for underground and in-wall leaks without requiring excavation.
Infrared (thermal) imaging uses infrared cameras to detect temperature differences caused by moisture accumulation behind walls, ceilings, or floors.
Ultrasonic leak detectors are similar to acoustic technology, but use high-frequency sound waves to identify leaks. They work well in high-noise industrial environments where traditional acoustic detection may be less effective.
Smart water meters and flow sensors monitor water usage and detect anomalies in flow rates and pressure.
Pressure testing and monitoring look for drops in pressure within a plumbing system to identify leaks.
Moisture and humidity sensors detect increased moisture levels in walls, ceilings, and floors.
Dye testing introduces a harmless dye into the plumbing system to trace leaks visually.
IoT-enabled leak detection systems use wireless sensors connected to a cloud-based monitoring system. They send real-time alerts via apps or email when a leak is detected, and enable large-scale monitoring on a remote basis.
Helium tracer gas detection introduces helium gas into pipes, which escapes through leaks and is detected by sensitive gas sensors. It’s typically reserved for use in high-pressure industrial systems where traditional water-based tests are ineffective.
Electromagnetic pipeline inspection uses electromagnetic waves to scan pipes for weaknesses, corrosion, and leaks. It’s typically used for inspecting large industrial water distribution systems.
Borescope (fiber optic) inspections involve inserting a flexible camera into pipes to visually inspect for leaks and corrosion.
Can leak detection be performed without shutting down operations?
Yes, many water leak detection technologies are non-invasive, and allow you to detect leaks without impacting everyday operations.
Is there a best communication protocol for water leak detection?
Different water leak detection solutions use different communication protocols, including (but not limited to) WiFi, LoRaWAN, and NB-IoT. What will work best for you depends on a range of considerations specific to the building and use cases you're working with. Find out more in our guide to water leak detection comms protocols.
How can I detect leaks in my building’s HVAC system?
While manual inspections have typically been used to detect water leaks from HVAC systems, they’re inefficient and error-prone. Advanced water leak detection technologies offer a more efficient and cost-effective solution.
Are leaks in fire suppression systems difficult to detect?
Yes, leaks in fire suppression systems have typically been difficult to detect, largely because they are seldom used, and consume low amounts of water. However, advanced sensing technologies can help.
Why do cooling towers and boilers often develop leaks?
Cooling towers and boilers often develop leaks due to high-pressure fluctuations, corrosion, vibration, and poor maintenance.
Can water leak detection help reduce water bills?
Absolutely! The sooner you identify and fix water leaks, the more water wastage you can prevent.
How much does it cost to fix a water leak in a commercial building?
The cost of repair and remediation for water leaks in commercial buildings is more expensive than you might think - according to BOMA, the average cost for commercial buildings is $2.20 per square foot.
Of course, A++ grade buildings and custom finishes are considerably more expensive.
How can I calculate the ROI of water leak detection?
Calculating ROI for water leak detection is theoretically simple, but complex in practice. You need to be able to add up the cost of the solution, and the cost savings you made - which can be tricky if your solution is effective at leak detection.
Want to give it a try? We recommend reading our eBook on calculating ROI for water leak detection solutions.