Do you hear the sound of running water even though you aren’t using the sink, shower, or washing machine? Have you felt hot spots on your floor? Is there water coming up in between your tiles? Is there mildew or moisture under your carpet? Is your water bill unusually high? Well, you might a slab leak.
What is a slab leak?
Many homes around the U.S. are built on large slabs of concrete. This concrete is the barrier between your home and the ground. As time goes by, the copper pipes beneath the concrete barrier can develop leaks. These leaks are referred to as slab leaks.
How do I find the leak?
Do not try to find the leak yourself. Only someone with technical expertise and an in-depth understanding of the process will be able to locate the leak. So now is the time to call a licensed professional plumber.
I have a leak, now what?
What comes next depends on the location of the leak. In addition to the location, your plumber will need to gauge the severity of the leak. When both steps are complete, you’ll be presented with a few options: whether you should have a spot repair done or a reroute done.
A spot repair involves opening the slab at the exact location of the leak and repair. With a reroute, the entire pipe is removed and replaced with a new one.
Can slab leaks be avoided?
Unfortunately, slab leaks can’t be 100% avoided. However, there are a number of things you should be aware of to help prevent future leaks:
Be careful when using drain cleaners at home. While they can clear up some of the problems you’re having, they can also cause more plumbing problems in the future.
Check the PH level of your water. Your water could be very soft (low PH) or very hard (high PH). Either extreme can damage the interior of your pipes which will-at some point- lead to leaks.
Are you using the proper water pressure? If your water pressure is too high, then you might have some problems. The high pressure can be taxing on narrow pipes. If the protective coat of the pipes is worn down, the stress from the high pressure can lead to corrosion.
Who do you hire to fix a slab leak?
Now that you have a better understanding about slab leaks, you can make an informed, intelligent decision about solving the problem. The most important decision to make is to hire a licensed professional plumber.
Pure Plumbing offers certified professionals who use state-of-the-art equipment to meet all of your plumbing needs. If you live in the Las Vegas, Henderson, Summerlin, Anthem, North Las Vegas, Green Valley and Centennial Hills areas, call Pure Plumbing today (702) 710-7388.
