May 2024
Water problems don’t simply disappear when ignored.
Residents were experiencing unexplainable temperature fluctuations at random intervals. Sometimes there would be no hot water. Hot water would come out of cold-water taps. The temperature would fluctuate for periods ranging from seconds to minutes or hours. There was no way to predict when water temperature problems would occur, making it impossible to shower without risking injury from a sudden and dangerous change in water temperature.
At first, management was in denial and told affected residents that their unit was the only one experiencing problems. They were instructed to change all water cartridges. Some units were charged a fee after a plumber sent by management provided the same direction.
As time passed, owners realized that affected units were in a line sharing the same water pipe. After insisting more forcefully that management isolate and rectify the problem, they began sending the superintendent or a plumber when problems were reported. Unit visitations occurred hours or days after problems were reported. By this time the problem had dissipated and nothing was found.
There was no way to predict when water temperature problems would occur, making it impossible to shower without risking injury from a sudden and dangerous change in water temperature
Management continued to claim there were no problems and no complaints.
It is not uncommon that a water problem goes unnoticed in one unit while affecting other units. The most common problem is a bad cartridge in the shower faucet in one unit that impacts other units. Other causes can be the design of a plumbing system or an improper connection in one unit. Finding the source can be challenging.
It was about a year after problems first appeared that LEaC Shield, a company specializing in detection and prevention of water leaks, was called to diagnose and hopefully rectify the problem. We began speaking with residents to understand what they were experiencing. Wireless temperature probes were installed in strategic locations which would send the temperature data real-time to an online dashboard so we could remotely see and better understand where and when temperature fluctuations were occurring, how much water temperature was dropping and for how long. After monitoring the situation for a couple of months, we were able to isolate the primary problem area and then identify water temperature fluctuations as originating in or near a specific unit.
Our next step was to install check valves on the cold and hot water supply lines to the specific unit. This ensures cold water will not flow back into the hot water riser from the affected unit, and prevents water issues in one unit from affecting other units.
Since check valves were installed at the identified unit, no further cold water temperature problems have been reported in other units.
LEaC Shield has been providing pinhole leak and flood prevention solutions since 1992.
