What To Do About A Slab Leak?
Even if you keep a close eye on the condition of your home and are constantly looking for signs that it needs maintenance, there are some problems with upkeep that can be difficult to identify. A slab leak is one example of this kind of problem. If you aren’t aware of the warning signs and don’t know how to handle the situation, a slab leak could do a lot of damage to your home if you don’t know what to do.
Slab leaks are a common service we provide at Sanitary Quest. We have the know-how and equipment to fix your slab leak fast and effectively, limiting the amount of damage to your house.
What is a slab leak?
Your home, like the majority of other modern structures, is built on a concrete slab, which acts as the structure’s foundation. If this slab becomes damaged, it might compromise the stability of the entire house.
Leaks in the slab of your home can occur when the water pipes that are buried in the concrete foundation of your home develop a leak. This problem could be caused by a number of things, such as corrosion, high pressure, or wear and tear. It is crucial to be aware of the indicators of a slab leak so that you can take action as soon as possible. This is true regardless of the origin of the slab leak.
1. Excessive Pressure
Because of the intense pressure that is placed on them, pipes that are buried might break. This is especially the case in areas that have clay soils, which, when wet, expand and then contract as they dry out, placing additional strain on the slab and the pipes. An earthquake is another potential cause of this kind of event.
2. Corrosion
Your home’s pipes that run below the earth come into direct contact with the soil and the metals that are contained in it. This might result in galvanic corrosion, which takes place when two dissimilar metals come into contact with one another. This type of corrosion might ultimately result in the pipe breaking and leaking water.
3. Abrasion
Pipes have the potential to experience vibration whenever water is moving through them. This vibration can cause abrasion at the point where the pipe touches another pipe, concrete, or any other solid surface. Over time, this wears down the pipe and can cause it to leak.
Symptoms You Have a Slab Leak
The symptoms of a slab leak are not always obvious, and even when they are seen, they could be misdiagnosed. Because slab leaks can wreak so much damage in such a short amount of time, you should never ignore the warning signs that one has developed in your home. There are a few potential indications that might point to the possibility that you have a slab leak. These are the following:
1. The Sound of Running Water
If all of the plumbing fixtures in your home are turned off but you can still hear the sound of running water beneath your floor, this is an indication that you have a leak somewhere else in your home. The source of this noise is most commonly water leaking out of the pipe through a fissure or a hole of a smaller size.
2. A Hot Floor
If there is a warm spot on your floor that does not appear to be caused by any appliance or any other source of heat, this could be an indication that you have a slab leak. This may occur if one of the hot water pipes develops a leak and allows water to escape.
3. Puddles
The presence of water puddles around your house, especially if they keep appearing in the same place, might be a sign of a leak. Most of these puddles are caused by water that seeps up through cracks in the slab and pools on the surface. People often find puddles inside their homes, usually in the bathroom or kitchen.
4. Mold
It is possible that a slab leak is the cause of the mold or mildew that you find growing within your house. These may cause water to seep up through cracks and generate puddles on the model’s surface, which are ideal breeding grounds for mildew. These can cause water to seep through the cracks.
5. Unusually High Water Use
Another indication that you could have a slab leak is if the water meter in your home continues to run even after you have switched off all of the plumbing fixtures in your house. This happens because water leaks from the pipes and gets into the meter.
A leak might be the culprit behind a sudden and unexplainable increase in the amount of money you have to pay for your water bill. If you notice that your family is using a lot more water than usual, you need to do something about it as soon as possible. A single leak can waste hundreds of gallons of water every single day.
6. Cracks
It’s possible that you have a slab leak if you see fractures in your slab foundation, walls, or flooring. This might also be an indication that you have a slab leak. This may occur if there is a leak in the pipes that causes water to seep out and undermine the soil beneath the slab.
Expert Slab Leak Detection
In the event that you have reason to believe that your home has a slab leak, the most prudent thing to do is get a professional involved. They will be able to swiftly and properly find the leak by utilizing their experience and the tools at their disposal. It is not necessary to make any holes in your foundation for this.
Most plumbing companies, including Rick’s Plumbing, can find your slab leak in a matter of hours by using cutting-edge, non-invasive methods. In the long run, doing so will save you not just time but also money and headaches. Acoustic equipment, like acoustic systems and ground mics, can pick up the vibrations that are caused by water leaking at a fast rate. They also offer video pipe inspection technology in addition to sonic locating devices, which are used to identify pipelines made of materials other than metal.he
Options For Fixing Slab Leaks
When it comes to addressing slab leaks, professionals primarily have three alternatives available to them. The location and severity of the leak, the current status of the pipe, and the general health of your plumbing system will all play a role in determining which solution is most suitable for your house.
1. Repair
Fixing the leak is the first possible course of action. Excavating the area surrounding the leak and repairing or replacing the broken pipe are viable options for achieving this goal. Most of the time, this method only works for small leaks that are easy to find. Leaking pipes can be repaired with epoxy pipe lining as well. It involves putting epoxy in the pipe to seal it and stop water damage from happening again without having to open up the foundation.
2. Reroute The Pipe
The rerouting of the pipe that is leaking is the second possible solution. If the leak is found in an older or weaker pipe, this is typically an option that can be considered. Because of this, fixing the pipe might just cause more leaks in other parts of the same pipe. So, you need to turn off the water supply at the nearest manifold and move the pipe. Pipes of this kind are frequently redirected above the ground.
3. Repipe The House
It’s possible that you’ll need to repipe the entire house if it’s an older home and the piping system throughout is in poor condition. This is a significant undertaking, but its completion will ensure that all of the pipes in your home are modern and in compliance with building standards. Additionally, it will remove the possibility of future leaks occurring.
Estimating And Covering The Costs
After the leak has been discovered, the contractor will be able to provide you with a more precise estimate of how much it will cost to make the repairs. The cost of detection, which ranges from $125 to $375, will be incorporated into the pricing. These estimates could change depending on how experienced the company is and how high-tech its equipment is.
When the foundation needs to be opened up, the price will increase by an average of $500 to $4,000, depending on the contractor. This will depend on how easy it is to get to the leak, how bad the leak is, and how much plumbing services cost in your area. A leak in a regular pipe may cost around 25 percent less to repair than a leak in a sewage drain.
If a pipe is too weak and needs to be rerouted, the cost might range anywhere from $200 to $500, depending on how long the pipe is. This is going to be determined by how complicated the scenario is. Approximately $1,500 is required to purchase an average pipe.
Homeowner’s Insurance
If the leak in your slab was caused by normal wear and tear, your homeowner’s insurance should pay for the repairs. What this says is that the leak is not your fault. In most cases, the cost of demolition and pipe replacement will be covered by your insurance policy. It’s possible that wages won’t be sufficient. The insurance that pays to completely destroy a building is called a “tear-out provision.”
Homeowners’ insurance often does not pay for preventative procedures like repiping or rerouting. If the slab leak makes it necessary to reroute the pipes, some insurance companies may pay up to 50 percent of the extra costs. You can request a premium reduction from your insurer.
Check with your agent to find out exactly what is covered, since insurance policies can vary a lot from one company to the next. While some policies will pay for the repair of physical damage caused by a burst pipe, others will not cover any damage caused by water. If your insurance only pays out if you have a leak that you didn’t see coming, you are likely to ignore cracks and other signs that something is wrong. Before beginning any kind of repair, you should always double-check with your insurer to be sure you’re still protected.
