Archive for the ‘Tips’ Category

Winter’s Here Are Your Pipes Ready?

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

Freeze-Fighting Tips Can Avoid Burst Pipes and Expensive Damage

Toronto, ON (Grassroots Newswire) January 2010 — Remember the old adage that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure?  It’s true of many things including winterizing your water pipes.

“Every year, according to the Insurance Information Institute, insurance companies pay out over $1.5 billion to property owners who report various weather-related disasters, including rupturing water pipes,” says Paul Gavel, owner of Canadian Leak Detection in Toronto.  But if you follow some basic winterizing procedures, you can avoid both the cleanup and the cost.

Gavel offers these tips for protecting your pipes against the ravages of Old Man Winter:

Before freezing weather:

  • Advise all household members where the main water shutoff valve is located in case of emergency.
  • Make sure hoses are disconnected from outside faucets.
  • Make sure water pipes in unheated parts of your home, including crawl spaces, are insulated.
  • Seal all openings in the basement around the foundation, windows, and doors.
  • Pipes in your basement that are close to windows should be insulated.
  • Drain all underground irrigation systems.

During freezing weather:

  • If a water pipe freezes, NEVER thaw it with an open flame. You may start a fire! Use hot air from a hair dryer, the exhaust from a vacuum cleaner, heat lamps, heat tape, or electric heaters.
  • Make sure you heat all rooms of your house that have plumbing fixtures. Water pipes in unheated rooms are subject to freezing and could cause extensive damage.
  • If your sinks are on an outside wall, you can leave the cabinet doors open to allow the heat from the room to enter.
  • An incandescent light bulb can be used to thaw pipes slowly, by placing it next to pipes that are frozen (Be sure to keep the bulb away from combustible material.)
  • Keep meter box lids closed during winter months to prevent cold air from freezing the meter. (Dont remove snow if you dont have to. It helps insulate the meter.)
  • If you have experienced problems in the past during freezing periods and you have exhausted all other solutions, you can leave a trickle of water running from the faucet highest in the house. (This trickle should be a steady stream slightly larger than the lead of a pencil.)

In addition to these, Gavel encourages local homeowners to call their local water department if they need additional advice.

Canadian Leak Detection is known as a world leader in the detection of hidden water and sewer leaks. It uses advanced, sophisticated electronic leak detection devices to fix leaks for all kinds of water systems, Gavel said, adding that the company has found 5,148,480 leaks worldwide since 1974 and counting. Canadian Leak Detection’s primary commitment is to conserve water, the world’s most precious resource.

For more information or if you’ve experienced a leak, call the experts: 1-800-290-5349 or email us anytime at canadianleak@rogers.com.

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National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week

Thursday, April 30th, 2009

National Swimming Pool Foundation April 2009 – National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week

The week before Memorial Day (May 18-24, 2009) has been designated as National Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week. The goal of this observance is to raise awareness about healthy swimming behaviors, including ways to prevent recreational water illnesses (RWIs) and injuries. RWIs are illnesses spread by swallowing, breathing in vapors of, or having contact with contaminated water in swimming pools, water parks, spas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. Injuries at aquatics facilities can occur in or out of the water.

This year’s RWI Prevention Week theme: pool chemical injuries
The theme for this year’s RWI Prevention Week focuses on injuries associated with pool chemicals. Pool chemicals make the water where we swim safer by protecting us from germs; however, these same chemicals can also cause injuries if they are not properly handled. This type of preventable injury leads to thousands of emergency room visits each year. Public pool operators can protect themselves and swimmers by taking these key steps:

  • ALWAYS secure pool chemicals: Keep children and animals away.
  • ALWAYS read product name and manufacturer’s directions before each use.
  • ALWAYS use appropriate protective gear, such as safety glasses and gloves, when handling pool chemicals.
  • NEVER mix chlorine products with each other, acid, or other substances.

To access a complete set of prevention recommendations, visit www.nspf.org

Free laminated pool chemical safety poster will be available soon.

Healthy swimming brochures can be downloaded in English and Spanish for free at www.nspf.org/posters.html

If you do not have an access to a color printer you can order them at www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming/brochure.htm

We encourage pool operators to adopt and promote this observance!

Additional online education on chemical safety can be found at  http://www.nspf.org/Occupational.html

Courses are offered on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), chlorine, chemical, and flammable liquid safety.

Additional information about Recreational Water Illness Prevention Week 2009 can be found at www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming

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A How-To Guide for Checking for Water Leaks

Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009

Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto, Northern & Eastern Ontario says local residents can save money and preserve resources by following handy checklist

Toronto, ON (Grassroots Newswire) April 22, 2009 — Pesky water leaks don’t always make themselves known through audible drips or visible puddles. In fact, the most troublesome leaks can often go undetected and cause homes or businesses to waste thousands of gallons of water as a result. Identifying water leaks, however, does not require sophisticated tools or machinery. With the help of some tips provided by Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto, Northern & Eastern Ontario, anyone can detect a leak before the matter gets out of hand.

“With local residents working on curtailing costs and environmental resources, fixing water leaks should be considered a priority for the community,” said Paul Gavel, owner of Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto, Northern & Eastern Ontario. He goes on to put things in perspective by noting that a leak the size of a pinhead can waste 360,000 gallon of water a year – an amount enough to fill 12,000 bathtubs to the overflow mark.

According to Gavel, members of the local community should be constantly vigilant of the water use in their homes. He says the following steps should be taken regularly to accurately monitor for possible water leaks:

  • Check for changes to the water meter when there is no water being used – mark the indicator on the meter; don’t use any water for an hour; then check the meter. If the indicator moved, a leak may be present.
  • Compare water bills from month to month to see if the bill escalates over a period of weeks or months.
  • Inspect walls or floors for wet, spongy, moist or discolored areas.
  • Examine building foundation for cracks, uneven growth of vegetation or earth shifts.
  • Conduct a “Bucket Test” to check pools and spas for water loss. A loss of one-eighth inch or more of water in 24 hours is suspicious.
  • Monitor the pool’s automatic filler; if it is continually releasing water, there may be a leak.

“If members of the local community notice any of the above symptoms occurring at their home or business, they should contact a professional immediately,” said Gavel. “Left unaddressed, water leaks can cause costly damage to a building’s structure that may require labor-extensive repairs.”

Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto, Northern & Eastern Ontario specializes in the accurate, non-destructive detection of hidden water, sewer and other leaks. Using proprietary equipment and methods, leaks are located without destroying walls or digging holes, thereby avoiding unnecessary property and other damage.

For detailed directions on the Meter Test and Bucket Test, please visit www.canadianleakdetection.com. For more information about Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto, Northern & Eastern Ontario, please contact Genaro Hernandez at 416-630-1717.

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Take a Dip without Wasting a Drop

Monday, April 13th, 2009

Toronto, Ontario (Grassroots Newswire) April 13th, 2009 — The mercury is rising and that can only mean one thing – it’s time for some fun in the sun! But before local residents dive in for their first dip into the backyard pool, Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto and North and Eastern Ontario is encouraging them to properly prepare their pools for the swimming season.

“Residential swimming pools provide hours of family fun, but they can also leak, which can cause high water bills and damage to surrounding property,” said Paul, owner of Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto and North and Eastern Ontario. “Environmental factors such as humidity, wind, and air as well as water temperature can all impact a pool’s water level, but members of the local community should be aware of a few telltale signs that may indicate there’s a problem with the pool.”

According to Gavel, if a homeowner must add water to the pool more than once a week or if they notice that the pool deck is sinking or lifting, then a water leak may be present. Air in the pool system or faulty pool equipment are other warning signs there may be a leak.

Gavel goes on to say that if local residents suspect a leak, they can use the company’s Bucket Test to test their pool for leaks. Steps to perform the Bucket Test are:

1. Bring pool to a normal level.
2. Fill a five gallon bucket with pool water about three to four inches from the top.
3. Place bucket on the first or second step of pool.
4. Mark water level on inside of bucket.
5. Shut off pump and mark pool level on outside of bucket.
6. Resume normal pump operation – make sure auto/manual fill valve is off during test.
7. After 24 hours, compare the two levels. If the pool water (outside mark) goes down more than the inside water level, there is probably a leak.

“If after performing the Bucket Test, local residents suspect their pool may have a leak, they should call a professional right away,” said Gavel. “We want members of the community to have a leak-free, safe and enjoyable pool season.”

Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto and North and Eastern Ontario sets the standard for non-invasive leak detection for residential, commercial and municipal markets using proprietary methods and technology, Gavel said. The company’s experienced specialists use state-of-the-art equipment and methodology to locate concealed pipe leaks.

For more information about Canadian Leak Detection serving Toronto and North and Eastern Ontario, please contact Genaro Hernandez – Mgr at 416-630-1717.

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Toronto Swimming Pool Owners – Avoid Fines!

Friday, March 27th, 2009

Taken from the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada’s website:

Toronto Storm Sewer By-Law Update: Be Aware that it is currently illegal to pump water from a swimming pool into a City of Toronto storm sewer. Pool companies and consumers are subject to a $5,000 fine per incident. The City of Toronto, in conjunction with the Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada and the Metropolitan Toronto Conservation Authority have developed some pending legislation that will change the way we remove water from a swimming pool. The legislation is designed to protect the environment and allow swimming pool companies to pump swimming pool water to storm sewers again. However, the pending legislation is not expected to be passed until early July 2008 and will be enforced immediately. Until that time, no pumping of swimming pool water into a storm sewer will be allowed.

Note: Current legislation does not affect the pumping of water from the top of a pool cover in the Spring. Pool cover water is deemed natural and can be pumped into the storm sewer provided it is debris free. Also: Water that can be pumped onto and contained on a consumers lawn or water that can be pumped into the sanitary sewer is not governed by these new criteria. Pending New Legislation: The pending new legislation will dictate the condition of the water that can be pumped into the cities storm sewers. As part of the legislation, the Pool & Hot Tub Council will produce a document and make training available to assist swimming pool companies to attain compliance once the legislation has passed.

-Pool & Hot Tub Council of Canada
www.poolcouncil.ca

A courteous reminder: Canadian Leak Detection is able to perform most repairs without draining your pool.

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