Slab Leak Repairs Are Needed When A Drain Or Pipe Is Leaking Under Your Foundation
If your home has a foul odor, your carpet has wet spots, or the concrete slab has cracks, there might be a hidden pipe leak. A slab leak is frustrating because you can't see the pipe and the signs of a leak may be hard to detect.
A slab leak might go on a long time and cause a lot of damage without you being aware of it. However, once the leak is detected, a plumber can fix the leak and stop the problem. Here are some things to know about slab leak repair.
The Leak Can Affect Any Pipe Or Drain
You may have hot and cold water pipes as well as drains that run under your foundation slab. Any of these pipes could start leaking due to old age or earth movement. When a hot or cold water pipe leaks, your water bill will probably go up quite a bit if the leak is large, and that could be your first clue to a problem.
If the hot water pipe is leaking, there might be a warm spot on the floor and your electric bill might go up because the water heater runs all the time to make up for the loss of hot water.
A leak in a drain or sewer line may be more difficult to detect since the leak only happens when you use the drain rather than being continuous. However, if your toilet is draining under the slab, you'll probably notice the foul odor seeping up through the slab.
Your Plumber Can Detect The Location Of The Leak
Don't worry about the plumber having to dig around in your foundation just to hunt for the leaky pipe. If your plumber does slab leak detection, they have the tools needed to find a leak even when the pipe is under the ground.
They may use a listening device to pick up changes in sound that pinpoint the leak. The plumber might also use a pipe camera, thermal camera, or other tools to track down the source of the leak.
Repairs May Require Digging
Slab leak repair might require digging up part of the foundation to reach the pipe so the pipe can be repaired or replaced. However, that may not be the only option for repairs.
The plumber might pull a liner through a leaking drain or put in new pipes and route around the damaged ones. The location of the leak and the condition of the pipes are taken into consideration when choosing the best way to repair the leak in your slab.
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