Plumbing leaks can occur in various areas of your home. While some are easy to locate, others are hidden far out of sight and are very difficult to find. Slab leaks occur within the home’s foundation and can be hard to identify. Learn the signs of slab leak problems so you can quickly have repairs made before the leak causes serious damage to your home.
What Is a Slab Leak?
If your home is built upon a concrete slab foundation, there are plumbing pipes that run below the slab as well as pipes that come through the slab and into the home. A slab leak occurs when one of these plumbing supply lines suffers a crack or breaks. Slab leaks allow water to flow out of the pipe and into the home as well as below the home’s concrete foundation. Common causes of slab leaks include shifting soil, an improperly built foundation, as well as plumbing system failures such as weakened piping or poor installation.
Slab leaks can cause significant water waste and high utility bills. The excess moisture that floods the foundation can also lead to mold growth. If left unrepaired, severe slab leaks can even cause the home’s foundation to collapse.
Signs of Slab Leak Problems
It can be difficult to detect a slab leak because these water leaks occur in areas of the home that are not accessible. Instead, homeowners must know the signs of slab leak issues and be diligent about detecting them when they pop up.
The common signs of a slab leak include:
- An unusually higher water bill with no clear explanation.
- The sound of running water even when all plumbing fixtures and nearby plumbing appliances are turned off.
- The water meter continues to show water flow into the home even when all plumbing fixtures and water-using appliances are turned off.
- Cracks appear in the home’s walls and/or ceilings, which are caused by shifting as the home’s foundation degrades from the leak.
- Hot spots occur underneath flooring that didn’t previously exist.
- Wet spots and/or discoloration occur on floors and carpeting.
- Mold or mildew grow underneath carpeting.
- Musty or foul odors develop in walls or below floors.
- Cracks form in the home’s foundation.
- The lawn and plants near the home’s foundation appear to grow differently than those farther away.
- Visible changes in the soil around the exterior of the home.
Depending on the cause and severity of the slab leak, fixing your slab leak may require repairs or replacement of the damaged piping, or repiping the plumbing lines situated below your home’s foundation. These repairs can be performed by breaking through the concrete foundation, tunneling below the foundation, or rerouting pipes from below the home’s foundation to an above-ground location. Foundation repairs may also be necessary if the slab leak has caused the concrete to degrade or crack.
Contact Ravinia Plumbing, Sewer, Heating & Electric for Slab Leak Repairs
If you experience any signs of a potential slab leak problem in your area home, you need a plumber right away. Call Ravinia Plumbing today to request an appointment for slab leak detection and repair.
