Water damage – Dryfix trace and locate accurately first time.
May 1st, 2012
All posts, Damp / Rising Damp / Damp Proofing /, Flood Restoration & Drying, Water Damage
A burst water pipe can be devastating especially when it goes un noticed which unfortunately is often the case. On a daily basis we inspect properties for damp and decay and after undertaking our inspections and diagnostic investigations identifying the true cause, we are amazed at just how many of our clients have wasted both time and money in un-necessary repairs prior to our visit.
Unfortunately where the escape of water is the cause delaying the findings through inaccurate diagnosis can result in the damage being even more extensive.
We were instructed recently to undertake a damp survey on a property in North Yorkshire after a client reported damp which had recently occurred and had started to damage the plaster within the kitchen and lounge. He also noticed the carpet within the lounge had started to feel damp and there was a musty odour in the room. Immediately suspicions of water damage were raised.
We responded immediately and started our investigations , sure enough the lounge and kitchen walls were severely damp and the plaster had just started to spoil. The high value axe minster carpet within the lounge was also wet adjacent the affected wall. In the room opposite was the kitchen and after opening the kitchen cupboards the units were filled with mould a further indication of high humidity and excess moisture, but much than expected under normal circumstances.
The kick boards of the kitchen units were removed which were also noted to be saturated and an inspection was carried out under the units. Where seen, against the kitchen / lounge dividing wall water was observed dripping slowly from the bottom of the plaster. The client informed us there had recently been a small leak form the washing machine, which was operational at the time so in order to distinguish between possible waste water and service water leaks we turned off the water mains and sure enough the dripping slowed and then eventually stopped, Result! We installed an articulated camera beneath the kitchen units to investigate and identify potential services and found a series of water pipes feeding the kitchen services which disappeared into the wall.
Images above; left – right; Water pooling on the floor and dripping from plastered walls, located service pipes embedded in wall and plaster, leaking joints.
Images above; left – right; saturated masonry, wet and mouldy carpet, spoiling plaster and decor.
Watch a video of the leaking investigation here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMlkLxQUwmc&feature=plcp
After clearing up as much water as possible we contacted the insurers who instructed us to perform a trace and locate on the pipe work. The insurers normal contractors in this case would normally rip out the kitchen units and remove all the plaster from the walls to find and locate the damaged pipes. We were instructed as we were able to trace and locate the pipes using non destructive methods identifying exactly where the pipes were routed using specialist thermal imaging and metal detectors. This allowed us to identify and expose the pipes causing minimum damage removing only those kitchen units necessary ensuring the client still had a functioning kitchen whilst the extent of damage could be assessed and the insurers considered our findings.
After locating and marking the pipe routes we carefully removed the required kitchen units and began to expose the pipe work within the wall. Immediately the damage became apparent when the pipes were exposed and two small leaks were found in the hot water service, one from a joint and the other from a corrosion perforation. After exposing the pipe work our plumber followed and repaired the damaged pipe, whilst we assessed the extent of damage in order to produce a report for the insurers. Our next step will be to remove any finishes beyond economical repair and which may prohibit drying of the building and install a series of specialist drying equipment to dry the walls, floors and carpet and return the walls back to a pre loss condition, before drafting a specification for repair.
It is common for water damage to occur in the cold winter months when water within the pipes can freeze, causing the pipe to burst dramatically. However water pipes can also fail due to faults in workmanship particularly at joints or when using plastic push fit connections which are poorly secured, or missing essential grab rings.
If you discover damp or suspect a water leak don’t waste time and money in trying to diagnose and locate the problem yourself, act promptly and call the professionals as a speedy response may reduce the extent of damage and enable us to salvage valuable possession and finishes.
If you’re in need of assistance with damp diagnosis, water damage repairs, trace and locate of services or specialist drying after a leak of flood, don’t hesitate to call us Dryfix Preservation Ltd “Yorkshires Leading Damp & Timber Specialists”.
We are an IICRC (Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification) certified company specialising is flood/water damage and drying of buildings. Our surveyors are fully qualified in damp diagnosis through examination by our leading industry and carry all the latest diagnosis and inspection equipment including fibre optical cameras, moisture analysis equipment and thermal imaging cameras.
To find out how to prevent the risk of your pipes freezing in winter read our Beat the Freeze article.
For more information visit our website www.dryfix.net
Russell Rafton
C.S.R.T / I.S.S.E
Dryfix Preservation Ltd – Surveyor