Signs of a Slab Leak

A slab leak is a serious problem that should only be repaired by an experienced plumber. Since the pipes run below the concrete how do you know when you have one?

Pipes are the arteries of your house hold, and water is the blood. When a pipe cracks then you have a serious problem. If your pipes are running underneath the foundation of your house then you could be susceptible to even larger problems than you think. Slab leaks occur when one of these pipes that run under your foundation has broken. They can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage. The bad part is you might not realize there’s a problem until the damage is already done. There are some signs to watch out for so that you can catch a broken foundation pipe quicker.

First sign, out of whack water bills. Keep an eye on your water bills. You probably pay about the same amount each month. If suddenly you are paying a lot more then you need to start investigating. It might be something as simple as a leaky faucet or running toilet but there is a chance that it could be a slab leak. It might seem like a hassle to compare the previous month and the current month’s bills every month but if you get in the habit then you could catch a broken pipe a lot sooner and cut down on the amount of damage.

Listen to your home. This might sound silly but if you have a slab leak chances are you might be able to hear running water. You’ll have to turn off all the faucets, appliances and get the kids to quiet down for a minute. If you can do that, listen to see if you hear the sound of water running under your floors. This can give you a heads up that there is a problem and you can contact a certified plumber out to fix it before you get a bunch of water damage.

Wet spots are generally a tell-tale sign. It’s easy to explain away a puddle at first. Maybe the dog had an accident or one of the kids made a mess. But if you can’t figure out where that wet spot came from then most likely you’ve got a slab leak. You might not see a wet spot but you might feel that the floor is warmer in one area than in another. This could indicate a break in one of the hot water pipes. Other indicators are mold and mildew behind drywall where the floor and wall meet. Cracks on the floor are another indicator.

If you have any of these problems contact a plumber that knows how to take care of slab leaks. These can be serious and can cost thousands of dollars in damage. Your insurance may cover the cost to repair this problem. Whatever you do don’t try to fix this yourself. Contact a professional so that you know the job is done correctly the first time.

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