Slab leaks are one of those plumbing problems than many home owners hear about and dread the day they have to deal with it in their own home. Not only can they be costly to repair, but the damage they can cause on a home only multiplies as time goes on before its notices.
At Alpine Plumbing and Rooter our San Dimas Leak Detection Experts have nailed down how to find, repair, and prevent future slab leaks. We understand the stress a home owner goes through dealing with leaks, and will help through every step of the way.
What are typical signs of a slab leak?
you can tell if you have a slab leak by running through a few basic tests:
- Water meter- All homes have a water meter box that if you remove the cover you can see if the dial is spinning. If no water is being used and its spinning then this is an indicator you have a possible water leak somewhere.
- High water bill- If you get you water bill and it is higher than normal with no routine changes chances are you might have a water leak.
- Warm spot- A big sign that you might have a slab leak is if the floor is warm in a certain spot of your home. This usually indicates a hot slab leak.
- water coming up from floor- The most obvious sign of a leak is when you have water coming up from the floor where it shouldn't be.
- Hearing hissing in the wall- Another sign you might have a leak is if you hear a hissing in the wall. this is usually due to a pinhole leak that is spraying in the wall
What usually causes a slab leak?
Although there are many causes of slab leaks some of the most common are:
- Corrosion- Older pipes tend to have a higher chance of leaks in areas where there is hard water. This can cause corrosion and pinholes to all types of pipes including copper and galvanized.
- Pressure- One often overlooked culprit is high pressure. Pipes can only handle so much and excessive pressure can cause pipes to spring leaks or burst.
- Poor installation- A good product is only as good as its installer. If installed poorly this can cause issues that might result in leaks from joints.
- old age- Nothing lasts forever, at some point older pipes will have to call it quits. This is the most common cause of leaks found.
What do I do if I think I have a leak?
We recommend first turning off the water to your home using the emergency shutoff valve that is usually found by the water inlet to your home. Contact the pros at Alpine Plumbing and Rooter and we can help find the slab leak.
Solution and Preventions
- Leak detection- Using acoustic devices we can pinpoint where a leak is coming from. and determine method of repair
- Repipe/rerouting- a long term solution is either repiping or rerouting. This involves abandoning old pipes under ground and running new ones over head to eliminate future slab leaks.
- pressure regulator- Sometimes a solution is as simple as being proactive instead of reactive. making sure the pressure is at safe levels can prevent future slab leaks.
- water softening- If water is hard in an area water softening can help prevent leaks by softening the water and removing harsh chemicals that tend to corrode pipes and cause slab leaks.