Pipes that are installed underneath the concrete foundation of a house are susceptible to slab leaks. Many causes contribute to this. It could be that the movements or changes in the foundation had put a strain into the pipes and broke them. Another possible cause could be attributed to improper selection of pipes such as those that are not proportionate to the water pressure. Too much pressure on too small a pipe is recipe for eventual leaking. The plumber who put down those pipes could also have done a shoddy work or compromised the materials used.
Floor Check Up
The physical signs of a slab leak can be easy enough to identify. If you have carpeted floors, an unexplained moist area should clue you in. If you feel certain spots on the floor are warmer, then there could be a leak on the pipes carrying the hot water into the house. Presence of mildew or molds behind the drywall is also an indication that moisture had crept into them from beneath the floor. In this case, removal and clean up of these health hazards should be added to your to-do list. When you notice cracks on the walls or on the floor, these can also indicate a leak.
Listening and Smelling
Listen for telltale sounds of water trickling that are signs of impending water damage. Isolate the sound by shut off all your faucets (and all other appliances as well, and maybe shushing the kids too for a minute) to make sure that the sound could only be coming from under the floor. Check if the pipe carrying waste water out of the house is leaking by listening for sounds after you flush that toilet. Lastly, foul odor in the house, no matter how subtle or faint, should be your definite sign that something is leaking in one of your pipes, and you had better nip this in the bud before it gets any more messy and costly.
Entry Point
Another serious consideration about broken pipes is the likely contamination of water due to soil entering inside. A damaged pipe provides an entry point for soil, debris, and microorganisms. Even if the entry point is just small, these harmful microorganisms can still get inside and effectively contaminate your water supply. If you see floating sediments in your water, immediately call your water company’s hotline to inquire and confirm if the problem is not on their end. Also, watch out for a remarkable loss in the water pressure of your faucet or shower as this could mean slab leak is diverting the water supply.
Check Your Bills
Or you could also get a hold of your water bills and do some comparisons. If you know you’ve been using water the same amount and frequency every month and yet there are still surprise unexplained spikes in your bills, something’s not right and it could mean a slab leak somewhere. Get in the habit of routinely checking and comparing your water bills the moment they arrive; it’s worth the effort in the long run.
If you suspect slab leak under your concrete foundation, it’s best you consult an expert and experienced plumber. Plumbers are good at water leak detection because they have special tools which can pinpoint where a leak is happening. Generally, fixing a slab leak would require opening up the flooring and replacing the defective pipe with a new one, and possibly replacing the water damaged floorboard as well. An alternative fix is to re-route the flow of water by installing new and appropriate pipes. These are serious jobs for experienced plumbers, so don’t attempt to do it yourself and just rest your worries on them.
Slab Leaks is serious business. Get free, absolutely free, expert advice now for water leak detection.
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