Leaking pipes inside or underneath the concrete of a house’s floor or foundations are called slab leaks.
What are signs of a slab leak?
- Hear running water, when no water should be running.
- Warm or hot spots on the floor
- Cracks in walls or floor
- Mildew, excessive moisture under carpet, or musty odor
- High water bills
What to do if you think you have a slab leak?
Call a plumber who specializes in leak detection or a locating professional to pinpoint the location of the leak using thermal imaging, pipe locating, and sound equipment.
If a leak is detected, how does a plumbing professional repair it?
One option is to jackhammer the floor and repair the leak in the ground. A plumbing professional will take up some tile or carpet and jackhammer the concrete to reach the leaking pipe. They will then cut out the bad section of pipe and solder a new one in place, and most companies will rough patch the concrete. It us up to the homeowner to replace any tile or carpet but some home owners insurance will cover this type of repair.
A second option is the reroute the line. This is where a plumber will run a new line from through the walls and attic to eliminate the leaking pipe in the ground. Most plumbers will only reroute one line unless you would like to re pipe the entire home. This option does cause some damage to the drywall and most insurance companies will not cover this type of repair.
