Does anyone pressurize water lines with compressed air when the water is off ?
What would be the purpose? The short answer is NO. If there was a leak, how would you find it in all the hundreds or thousands of feet of supply lines, many of which are buried in the walls, crawl spaces and attics. You would not be able to see anything but perhaps a drop in pressure assuming you had a good gauge and system for installing it. Would take a lot of time and effort for little or no return in information.
My thought exactly yet i am asked if i do this at least monthly. Where are these people coming up with this? Someone out there must be doing it.
Another short answer is, they don’t know what in the hell they are talking about. I realize you can’t just blurt that out to them, it tends to offend some people. Go figure.
I tell them a pressure could take hours, it will not locate the leak and it would be cheaper to have the water turned on.
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Yes, I have many times. Plumbing fitting with gauge attaches to outside 3/4 hose bib. Do not over pressurized system. If no leaks it will hold pressure, 15 minutes is all you need at 7 to 15 psi. Test drain traps with jug water.