A leaking water line underneath your home can be a problem that needs attention quickly. A leak under your home's foundation can be difficult to notice or locate. In the plumbing world this is called a slab leak. A slab leak is when a water pipe under your concrete structure breaks, splits, or bursts and begins to leak. Slab leaks occur when the pipes in your foundation become corroded. It can also happen if a pipe bursts. These are two of the main culprits.
When slab leaks occur, it’s because the pipes in your foundation may have pinhole leaks. These leaks are most commonly caused by corrosion, which can happen as a result of the foundation settling. This issue is more common in older homes. The older the home, the more it has settled into its foundation.
If not found and fixed quickly, a slab leak can cause major damage to your home. The leaking water can cause damage to the foundation, walls, and even flooring. It can also cause your wood to rot, and bring in a abundance of termites and ants, as well as create the perfect atmosphere for mold to grow.
After locating your slab leak, and the possible cause, we'll recommend the best way to repair it. Below are 5 common signs of a slab leak. If you have any of these signs or symptoms, feel free to give Branch Brothers Plumbing a call, so we can begin the task of locating and repairing the leak.
THE 5 MOST COMMON SIGNS OF A SLAB LEAK
1. HEARING WATER RUNNING
If you are hearing water running underneath the slab or at the base of your homes flooring. If you are able to hear the sound of running water in a certain location of your home when there are no faucets running, this can be strong indication that there could be a slab leak under your homes foundation.
2. NOTICE MILDEW OR WET FLOORS
If you are noticing signs of mildew, wet carpet or wet floors, that are continuing to stay wet or pooling up then there is a high probability that the pipes below your slab could be leaking.
3. CRACKED FOUNDATION OR WALL
Cracks in your foundation or in your walls can also indicate you have a leak below the foundation. A leak under the slab can overtime time wash out the dirt foundation. This can cause your slab to crack and shift, also creating cracks or breaks in the walls causing them to shift and weaken.
4. HIGHER WATER BILL
Another indication of a slab leak is when your water bill starts running higher than usual. If your water bill surprisingly increases while your level of consumption remains the same, you could possibly have a slab leak and need to have it looked at as soon as possible.
5. HOT SPOT ON FLOORS
One of the biggest signs of slab leak is, if your floor is staying hot or warm in certain areas. This may be because of a leak in the hot water pipe under the slab. The leaking hot water could be causing the floor to stay warm and should be addressed quickly to keep the damage from getting worse.
If you notice any one of the 5 signs listed above, a slab leak may be the diagnosis. If you suspect you have a leaking water pipe under your homes foundation, do yourself a favor and have it looked at by a professional. By fixing the leak as soon as possible you can save yourself thousands of dollars, and a lot of headache. Please don't hesitate, give Branch Brothers Plumbing a call today. We will gladly begin with a free estimate from one of our plumbing professionals. Included, will be a detection of your leaks location, with a strategy to properly fix the leak in a cost effective and timely manor.
