Overhead costs are a constant drain on your bottom line. Many articles have been written about how you can reduce your overhead costs.
And if you’re looking to do so, it’s a good idea to start by looking at your utilities. You might be spending more than you need to on electrical, or even on plumbing.
Especially if you have a silent leak.
What are silent leaks?
Silent leaks are an absolutely unnecessary overhead cost – the metaphor of throwing money down the drain fits incredibly well here. True to their name, silent leaks are leaks in your plumbing that you can’t hear. Silent leaks are also “invisible” – you can’t see them. In fact, in most cases, it’s almost impossible for a business owner to know that they have a silent leak.
That is, of course, unless they know how to look.
Detecting silent leaks
There are a number of ways you can go about detecting silent leaks. The first is what you might call the “manual” method. Turn off absolutely every device that uses water in your building. That means faucets, ice machines, coffee makers with water lines – everything. No should be pouring a glass of water, or flushing a toilet.
Then, mark down the numbers on your water meter. Wait about an hour, then check the meter again. If the numbers have changed, you probably have a leak.
Obviously, this strategy isn’t viable for many businesses. Shutting your business down to run this test may not be possible. There may also be too many different fixtures to shut off.
The second method is to carefully observe your water meter – if there are substantial changes in billing this year compared to last year, and there are no changes in occupancy or prices, you may have a leak. This method can be pretty inaccurate – use it to determine whether or not a leak is a possibility, rather than whether or not a leak is a certainty.
The next method is probably the most obvious – call a plumber! It’s a good idea to have a plumber conduct regular maintenance of your commercial plumbing anyway, especially if you have a number of commercial tenants. During maintenance, or a plumbing inspection, your plumber will be able to spot any leaks.
Finally, you may want to consider getting commercial leak detectors installed. These devices can alert you immediately if there’s a plumbing leak of any kind. They’re a great preventive tool as well – consider installing them even if you don’t have a leak!
Silent but dangerous
Silent leaks aren’t just costly. They can cause serious structural damage, and they can create breeding grounds for mould. Mould, in turn, can cause serious illness. It’s important for your bottom line and for the safety of all occupants to address leaks as soon as possible.
We offer plumbing services in Winnipeg. If you suspect you have a silent leak, don’t hesitate to call us. And if you’re looking for a company with experience handling routine commercial plumbing maintenance, get in touch with Clean Line Plumbing.