WARNING! Your Home Has a Slab Leak (and how it fix it)

Plumbing leaks around your home are not uncommon but thankfully most appear in areas you can see, access, and fix … like your shower, under a sink, or even in a toilet. These are areas where you can actually see water pooling, recognize a problem exists, and then get it fixed before any long-term damage occurs. Unfortunately, some leaks are hard to detect and even harder to get to in order to fix. As a homeowner, no matter how conscientious you are, a slab leak can occur. It’s important to know what causes these types of leaks, the warning signs, and how to go about locating and fixing this type of leak.

First, what causes a slab leak?

A slab leak occurs when a pipe beneath your home’s foundation leaks. The water from the broken pipe will seep into the ground and your home’s foundation. This not only wastes water but can also damage the concrete and erode the soil around it. Long term this will cause the foundation to buckle and shift, creating cracks in your home’s floors and walls. In the most severe cases, it can cause portions of a house to collapse. Not a situation you want to let go unchecked!

What are the warning signs of a slab leak?

• First, if your hot water line leaks, you may detect abnormally warm spots on your floor.
• Another sign you have a slab leak is if you notice damage to your flooring in the form of warping or misshapen flooring.
• You may even see a raised area on the floor. If you come across this type of damage, it also means there is severe damage occurring to your home’s foundation.
• Foundation heaving is another very serious sign that you have a slab leak. This occurs when your foundation slab experiences enough swelling it actually lifts the building slightly. A sudden, significant shift in your home’s foundation can cause severe and even irreparable damage. This type of damage may show up as cracks on interior and exterior walls as well as on the slab itself. Since you can also see these signs when your home is settling, you want to get an experienced technician to check to determine the cause.
• Lastly, a sign of a severe water leak can be if you experience a sudden, significant spike in your water bill.

The best and most accurate way to determine if and where a leak is located is by having a professional plumber, with specialized equipment locate the leak. The quicker a leak is found, the less expensive the fix will be. For the average person, fixing a slab leak is a difficult, messy, and often costly undertaking. We highly recommend you hire a professional plumber to do the repairs, as a variety of complications can occur costing you more if not handled properly.

A slab leak should be taken very seriously! Knowing what to look for, where to look for it, and what to do once you see signs of a slab leak can save you a lot of time, energy, and money.  Michael’s Plumbing is your Central Florida plumbing experts. We can locate and fix any leak, giving you peace of mind. Give us a call at 407-219-9772 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.

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