Hydrostatic testing is a crucial part of checking for leaks in your plumbing. No plumbing service would ever begin a job without running a thorough hydrostatic checkup, which will effectively tell them if there are any leaks in the piping. It’s a complicated procedure where the plumbers isolate the pipes in question from the rest of the plumbing system and check for the water pressure inside the pipes using a range of equipment.
What Is The Hydrostatic Test?
When you force a large amount of water through a constricted space, it flows through with greater pressure and force. Since there is no other way for the water to exit the pipe, the pressure should remain constant throughout the piping system—unless you’ve already created a pressure reduction mechanism.
A hydrostatic test measures whether or not the pressure remains constant as the water flows through a section of the pipes. Sometimes, it’s difficult to identify where exactly the water’s escaping from the pipes and the hydrostatic test helps us recognize which part of the piping needs repairs. If the water pressure in the pipes falls when water is forced through them, it indicates that there’s a leak.
How Is The Hydrostatic Test Conducted?
There are three techniques used to conduct a hydrostatic test. The tests used depend on what problems your plumber’s trying to detect. The techniques include:
The Water Jacket Method
Your plumber puts the pipes into a test jacket and pressurizes them to make them expand. They will measure this expansion and depressurize the pipes to let them go return to their original size. Sometimes the pipes don’t shrink back to their original sizes—a state called permanent expansion. The difference between the permanent expansion and the expansion observed when the pipes were pressurized help them determine whether the pipes can be used or not. Pipes that have higher differences are more likely to break down.
Direct Expansion Method
This involves forcing a large amount of water into your pipes and letting it flow out. The plumber measures how far the pipe expands with the water and the permanent expansion. They measure the difference between permanent expansion and the expansion while the water was forced through the pipe. The higher the difference, the likelier it is to breakdown.
The Proof Pressure Method
This is the most commonly used method of checking for pipe integrity. The plumber forces water through the pipes and sees if the pressure falls at any point throughout the test. If there’s a leak, the pressure in the pipe will fall over time.
Pro Serve Plumbers in Fort Worth, Texas are an expert plumbing service, offering drain cleaning, drain repair and sewage repair services in the region. Get in touch with us today for more information on our services or to hire us as you plumbing service in Fort Worth.
