How to Test Plumbing With Peppermint Oil

The peppermint test can help you find a leak in your plumbing.

Having a leak in your plumbing can be a nightmare. It can cause odors and damage to your home that can be expensive to repair. If you're not sure that you have a leak, or you can't find the location of the leak, a test using peppermint oil can help. Peppermint oil has a strong odor that is easily detected. Some professional plumbers use this trick, but you can do it yourself before scheduling an appointment with a plumber.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Rubber gloves
• 2 ounces peppermint oil
• 1 gallon hot water
• Ladder

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1. Close all windows and doors before testing so the scent of the peppermint oil can be detected. Remove any trash or other items from your home that have a strong odor and may cover up the scent of peppermint oil.

2. Mix 2 ounces of peppermint oil with 1 gallon of hot water while wearing rubber gloves. Be careful to not get any peppermint oil on you and dispose the gloves outside, in case you spilled any oil on them.

3. Climb onto the roof of the house and pour the mixture into your plumbing stack. The person who does the testing should stay outside until the test has been completed because he may have peppermint oil on his clothes or hands.

4. Check every room of your house for the scent of peppermint oil. This includes attic space, basement, and crawl space under your home. If the scent is present anywhere, you have a leak.

References

• Chest of Books: The Peppermint Test
• Plumbing Basics: Testing Water Supply