Slab Leak Detection and Repair

A slab leak is a leak from a pipe or pipes located under the foundation or concrete slab of your home. A slab leak can easily become a major problem the longer it goes undetected and can compromise the integrity of your home’s foundation.

Signs you might have a slab leak and need a professional to do slab leak detection:
Slab leaks can be tough to detect, particularly if the leak starts off small. Here are some warning signs to watch out for that may indicate a slab leak under your home.

• Hearing running or rushing water, even when all faucets are off and you are not running any water in the home.
• Cracks in the walls or flooring, particularly if you notice moisture associated with the cracks.
• Wet spots on carpets or smelling mildew in specific areas of the home.
• Hot spots under the floor. These are most often detected when walking barefoot and could indicate the leak is from a hot water pipe.
• Unexplained damp spots on the floor or moisture seeming to come up from the floor.
• Increases in your water bill, particularly large increases may be a sign of a leak.

FIXING SLAB LEAKS

First and most important is to find a licensed plumbing resource that has experience repairing slab leaks. Because the very foundation of your home
is involved, make sure you only hire a true and dependable expert!

Slab leaks are fixed in one of two ways, directly accessing the leak from inside the home or digging a pathway underneath the home to access the leak
(or leaks if multiple leaks are suspected). Direct access involves identifying the area of the leak from inside the home and breaking into the concrete
slab to access the plumbing “ usually with a jackhammer. This method is loud, messy and may miss additional leaks (or even create them with the force
of the machinery). Digging or tunneling under the home to the leak or leaks then removing and replacing the leaking sections of pipe is preferable.
In a case of multiple leaks along a pipeline, it may be necessary to re-route the plumbing to a more substantial line of piping.

If you suspect a slab leak under your home, don’t delay! The faster the leak is addressed, the better the chances of minimizing the damage to your home’s foundation. Your plumbing expert can assist in the detection of a slab leak, so if in doubt have the plumber come out.