How To Repair Dirt Erosion From Water Leaking Under The Foundation From A Tub Drain

What to Practise If Y'all Suspect a Slab Leak

09/13/xix

No homeowner ever wants to find out that they accept a slab leak. This normally ways that there are significant problems with the foundation of the house that are ofttimes costly to repair.

At Aid Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Drains, we want to help our customers empathize what causes a slab leak, how to identify ane, and what options are available to repair information technology. If you suspect a slab leak in your home, give us a call correct away at 513-333-Aid (4357). We offer fast, same-day service and can answer any questions you may have about your plumbing system.

What Is a Slab Leak?

A slab leak describes a leak that develops in the water pipes (usually made of copper) beneath the concrete foundation of your home.

The slab in your dwelling is usually the concrete flooring of your basement on which the residue of your home is built. In most cases, the water lines are located beneath the slab, still, in some buildings, the water lines are embedded in the slab itself.

If neglected, slab leaks tin can cause serious issues, including wall and foundation cracks, high h2o bills, bad odors, low water pressure, uneven floors, and might even cause your house to shift and sink.

To help prevent slab leak harm, it'south important to schedule regular plumbing maintenance once a twelvemonth.

What Causes Slab Leaks?

Poor installation

What often happens is that one of the pipes was dented, kinked, or bent during installation and over time, the water rushing through wears away at the dent and causes a small, pinhole leak.

External force per unit area

Another common cause of slab leaks is external pressure from things similar earthquakes, soil erosion, and ground shifts. If the world nether your home moves for any reason, this can put excessive pressure on the pipes and crusade leaks or a potential outburst pipe. While pipes are built to withstand pregnant pressure, over fourth dimension it can cause a leak, specially when combined with pre-damage or poor installation.

Corrosion

Corrosion and abrasion can also cause slab leaks. Hot water pipes are at a higher risk of annoying forces since they expand and contract with the rise and autumn of temperature. This pipe movement against the surrounding soil, rocks, and concrete can create leaks.

Abrasion

Water quality can touch on the speed at which your pipes corrode. Excessive hardness (loftier mineral content) and excessive softness (depression mineral content) tin corrode pipes. The pH scale ranges from 0 – 14. H2o with pH above 7 is considered alkaline while water beneath 7 is acidic. Unremarkably water with a pH betwixt 6.5 and 8.5 is non corrosive. It's piece of cake to exam the pH of your water. Simply take a sample of your water and insert a pH test strip, commonly plant in the pool and spa section of your local home improvement store.

Time

Any extended periods of corrosion, chafe, or pressure on your underground pipes can crusade a slab leak. Information technology's important to continue an heart out for the mutual signs of slab leaks so you can prevent plush harm to your home and holding. Brand certain you lot schedule professional plumbing maintenance at least once a year to keep an eye out for whatever irregularities in your plumbing.

Reasons to Suspect a Slab Leak

There are many reasons to suspect a slab leak nether your home. But how volition your suspicion exist angry if you don't know the common slab leak warning signs?

When it comes to plumbing leaks, the sooner they are addressed the better. H2o leaks cause lasting damage if left undetected. Whether information technology's the odour of mold and mildew from h2o under the carpets or audible cues like the constant sound of running water, if yous suspect a leaking pipe, turn off the h2o supply (if you tin can) and call a professional plumber immediately.

Here are some of the common warning signs that y'all accept a slab leak:

Higher than normal water bills

Unexplained spikes in the water bill are not simply inconvenient for your monthly budget, they are also a sign that something is awry. The only reason for yous to be charged more money for h2o, if you're sure y'all haven't been using more than usual, is a water leak.

A slab leak will not merely cause water to rise, but the bills as well. A higher bill is a sign to look for the cause, so follow the rest of these warning signs to encounter if any of them coincide with the rising costs. Phone call in a professional plumber to stop the water leak as soon equally possible so the next month'south beak, and the potential damage of undetected leaks, don't cost you an arm and a leg.

Damp spots on floor or carpet

When water accumulates below your home, there is nowhere left for it to go but upward. As the leak continues, it will eventually accomplish your home's flooring, and visible signs of damage to your carpets or floor are tell-tale signs that there is water below.

Visible or the smell of mold or mildew

If water from a slab leak has made its way to your flooring, mold and mildew is an inevitable issue. If you lot weren't able to observe damp or darkened carpet spots or warped hard flooring, the smell of mildew should tip you off that h2o harm is present. And, slab leaks can affect not just your flooring. Sometimes it can cause mold in your walls, too. If in that location'southward a smell, investigate where information technology is coming from, and point out that area to a professional plumber when they come up to assist in slab leak detection.

Spots of the floor are hot

At present, this may seem strange, merely hot spots aren't just a term for public cyberspace access. It's besides a sign that the yous have a underground hot water leak. Now this isn't always the example, but hot water leaking volition heat up the concrete and eventually the flooring above it. Y'all may not even notice these hot spots yourself, maybe your pet will of a sudden begin laying down on a random spot on the floor for the comfort of the warmth. Hot h2o leaks are costly and damaging. If you detect hot spots on your difficult flooring, call a professional to prepare the slab leak immediately.

Decreased water pressure

A decrease in water pressure is an obvious sign of a slab leak that you are sure to notice. It just is what it is — when water is escaping the pipes below the concrete foundation of your home, there will exist less water when you plough on your faucet and h2o fixtures. Less water pressure is a sign of a slab leak, and your cue to phone call in a profession to get water back traveling to your fixtures equally it should.

Hearing the sounds of constantly running water

If you lot are hearing the sound of water running nonstop, then your hot water heater is running nonstop. They get hand in paw. Your hot water heater will be trying to brand up for the fact that water is leaking out of the pipes, and so it will run and run and run to effort and replace the h2o. An always running hot water heater is non only wasting energy and costing money, merely it is likewise an audible and noticeable sign that in that location is a leak that needs to be addressed and then the water heater can take a breather.

While none of these signs are proof that you have a slab leak, it's a adept thought to telephone call a professional plumber to cheque it out. You want to care for a leaking pipe as soon as possible to prevent expensive damage down the line.

How to Test for a Plumbing Leak In Your Dwelling

Ok, so yous've investigated the warning signs and believe that indeed there is a slab leak. Merely, calling in a professional plumber for nothing seems like a waste material. If you actually want to double-check if you lot have a plumbing leak, there are a few steps you can take before you pick up the phone.

Follow this stride-by-step process to test your home for hidden water leaks:

Commencement, make sure all the water fixtures and water-using appliances in your home are shut off. At that place should be not water running at all, including the irrigation organisation.
Go outside and locate y'all water meter box. It'southward usually located near the forepart curb of your habitation in a concrete box with an iron lid labeled "water meter." Keep in mind that you may need a special meter box key to open information technology. Sometimes, all you demand is a flathead screwdriver or 2. In colder climates, the h2o meter may be located inside, usually in the basement.
Later on removing the cover, take a wait at the meter face. Most water meters have a blueish or blood-red triangle that rotates if there is water moving through the pipes. This is known equally the leak detection punch or low-flow indicator. It may likewise look similar a star or gear. If the leak detection dial is moving, you have a leak. Very small leaks, however, may not cause the leak indicator dial to movement.
If your leak detection dial isn't moving or you lot don't have one in your water meter, write down the number shown on the punch, wait xxx minutes (without using any h2o in the home), and check the meter number again. If the water meter records a higher number, this indicates that yous accept a hidden h2o leak.

While this won't tell you lot if y'all take a slab leak, it volition let you know if you take a leak somewhere. Your local Aid plumber can pinpoint and repair and hidden water leaks in your abode. We're a just a click or call abroad.

Slab Leak Options

Obviously, if you have a slab leak, you're going to have to fix this problem. You tin can't only hope information technology will go away.

Here are some professional person options to address slab leaks:

Jackhammering

First, you can call a professional person plumber in to jackhammer out the section of concrete that contains the pipe, cutting out the leaking office and replace it. This is the route that many homeowners choose to get. But in that location is another option.

Rerouting plumbing pipes

You can also choose to reroute your entire h2o line around the slab which might exist able to continue yous from experiencing future slab leaks. This process involves cut the water lines going into your slab and capping them. Our plumbers will then add a new water line that bypasses the slab entirely and delivers water all throughout your house. This way, if the new pipes start leaking you lot won't experience any slab damage or foundation damage.

Fortunately, we can help you with detecting and repairing your slab leak. No matter what kind of plumbing repair yous need, just call HELP.

Contact united states of america at 513-333-Aid (4357) for all your plumbing and HVAC needs in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, and W Harrison, Indiana.

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