Plumbing

Your home is likely your most significant investment. To protect that investment, you stay as conscientious as you can, keeping up with routine maintenance and taking care of issues as they arise.

But, one day, something out of the ordinary happens: you start noticing puddles on your floor or unexplained dark, wet spots on your carpet.

Your home may have a slab leak.

What is a Slab Leak?

If your home is built on a slab foundation, your pipes are plumbed through concrete. As water runs through these lines, the pipes may shift and contact the gravel or other pipes close to them.

Pipes wear down due to age, friction, or from continuous water pressure. This wear and tear will eventually cause holes and cracks, resulting in leaking within your concrete foundation.
This leaking in your plumbing system beneath the concrete slab is called a slab leak. These leaks may cause disastrous effects on your entire home if not resolved immediately.

What are Some Signs You Have a Slab Leak?

Because your pipes are often concealed beneath the concrete of your home, you may not realize you have a slab leak until it’s too late.

It’s crucial to keep an eye out for these signs of slab leaks:

An Upsurge in Your Water Bill

A significant increase in the water bill usually signifies that your water usage has increased.

But what if your consumption hasn’t changed?

Check all potential areas for leakages. If there are none visible or in the usual places where a leak may occur, it could mean you have a slab leak.

This is not a DIY situation. In the case of a slab leak, call a professional who specializes in slab leak repair to check for damages and address the situation immediately.

You Hear the Sounds of Running Water

Sounds of constantly running water is another glaring sign of a slab leak.

If the hissing sounds of running water persist (despite having all faucets turned off) you might have a slab leak.

Mold and Puddles on the Floor

Severe leakages caused by slab leaks can pose harm to your home’s flooring.

If you notice signs such as mold build-up, puddles on the floor, or dark spots beneath your carpet, this is indicative of a slab leak.

Reduced Water Pressure

A drop in water pressure is more than just a minor annoyance. It could mean significant damage is occurring to your home.

If your water pressure is starting to wane, this may mean that water is escaping somewhere apart from its usual taps and faucets.

Why Slab Leaks Happen

Slab leaks aren’t typical home repairs like a broken floor tile or a leaky faucet. When a slab leak occurs, this could mean a catastrophic result for your home.

Let’s talk about some of the most common slab leak risk factors:

Faulty Construction

Poor-quality pipes and a poor installation job may lead to a more slab leak-prone home.

Copper pipes especially are at high risk of corrosion. By using these pipes for your plumbing system over some time, they are likely to erode, especially if you live in an area with acidic or hard water.

Additionally, improper installation of pipes, for instance, installed with kinks or dents, may cause these areas to burst and start leaking after regular use.

Poor Quality Water

When was the last time you tested your home’s water quality?

If your home’s water is overly acidic or overly alkaline, your pipes are at risk for corrosion. Corrosion in your pipes will, over time, develop fractures and cause slab leaks.

Outside of a water quality test, you can check your tubs and sinks to determine if your water is too alkaline or too acidic. If you notice the presence of blue or green spots in these areas or detect a chlorine-like smell, it’s almost a sure sign that your water quality is putting your home at risk for a slab leak.

Abrasion

Water pressure within your pipes may cause the pipes to rub against your home’s concrete slab or up against one another. This friction inflicts damage to the pipes’ coating. The thinner pipe walls may eventually form holes and create a water leak into your concrete slab.

Time

Slab leaks are common in older homes, where builders primarily use galvanized steel or copper for the plumbing system. Although sturdy, galvanized steel is prone to corrosion. After some time, the corroded lines are likely to cause slab leaks.

Call JW Plumbing, Heating and Air for Reliable Slab Leak Repair

You should always keep an eye out for the potential signs of a slab leak. Slab leaks may cause adverse effects if you do not call for slab leak repair on time, and these severe impacts may be catastrophic to the structural integrity of your home.

If you notice any of these signals of slab leaks, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment to learn more about slab leak repair!

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