ARTICLES

WHAT IS A SLAB LEAK?

DEC 15, 2017

When it comes to home issues, a slab leak might be one of the worst things that can happen. And for homeowners who do not know what a slab leak is or how to discover if they have one, it’s all the scarier.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SLAB LEAKS

If you are reading this article, odds are you found it because you already have a feeling that something is not right in your home. These are the basics you need to know to get to the bottom of what is happening with your house and the next steps you need to take to deal with it with as little damage as possible.

WHAT IS A SLAB LEAK?

A slab leak happens when a pipe in the foundation of your house bursts or becomes corroded. Slab leaks have the potential to cause severe damage to your home. The good news (if there can be any when slab leaks are concerned) is that: 1) Early detection can help seriously minimize the damage and 2) There are multiple ways to detect a slab leak.

In another recent article, we discussed how to find common plumbing problems you can’t see. And while we do not mention slab leaks explicitly, many of the signs of slab leaks are similar to other leaks in your home. For example, if you have outsized water bills or hear running water when all of your water is turned off, you might have some sort of leak. In a slab leak,  you would hear the water running under your feet. Alternatively, you may notice a hot spot on the floor (if a hot water line is behind a slab leak). More obvious signs of moisture include puddles on the floor, molding or cracking floors or, if it gets to that point, foundation damage. Because of the huge potential for damage to your home, we recommend consulting a professional anytime you suspect you have a leak anywhere in your house — don’t just ask strangers on the Internet.

HOW TO FIND A SLAB LEAK

Not only will a professional be able to definitively detect your leak, they will be able to help you pinpoint its location and come up with a gameplan. While plumbing leaks in general can be difficult to pinpoint, a slab leak is especially tricky. Not only can you not see the leak, but because it is in the concrete, it is not very practical to guess where the leak is and start searching around with a jack hammer. This is why professionals with experience in leak detection are who you want assisting in finding a slab leak.

HOW TO FIX A SLAB LEAK

Once you have found a slab leak, the next step is to figure out what to do about it. There are multiple methods for slab leak repair, all suited to different situations. Depending on the nature of your slab leak and if you are dealing with one or multiple leaks, you will be faced with either epoxy restoration, re-piping or pipe re-routing.

Re-piping represents the most intensive method to repair slab leaks, but is necessary if leaks are bad enough, there are too many of them or if new pipes are the solution to whatever caused the slab leak in the first place. As more of a middle-of-the-road method, re-routing pipes means that a section of pipes are being diverted and is typically suggested as a solution if it is a relatively small section of pipe that is in question.

Whatever the realities of your slab leak, make sure that you are teamed up with a professional who will take the time to help you understand why they are recommending a specific course of action and who makes you feel confident that their gameplan is what is best for you, your house and your family.

Slab leaks can be incredibly scary. No one should have to go through one without the benefit of Donley’s Comfort Heroes. Call anytime, 24/7. We have quick emergency response times and we are committed to doing everything we can to save the day. Don’t believe us? Read our reviews! Then hurry and pick up the phone to schedule your appointment today. Literally, if you have a slab leak, we probably need to be at your house today. See you soon!