Slab leaks can devastate your home, causing significant damage to your foundation that can undermine the stability of your home and cost you dearly in repairs. You may not even know that you have a leak in your slab until you notice problems – and by then, serious damage has usually been done.
It’s important that you get regular inspections from a qualified plumber to detect slab leaks as early as you can to minimize the damage. You should also look for other signs that your pipes may be failing, such as lower water pressure, a tint or odor in the water, or leaks in other areas of the house. If you have an older house with older plumbing, or if you are having problems with some parts of your plumbing, chances are good that you are at risk for a slab leak.
How Do Slab Leaks Happen?
Often, pipes for your plumbing system are buried underneath your house. They can be in the ground under your crawl space or even under your concrete foundation. If the pipes rupture, leak, or become corroded, water can seep out into the ground and eventually into your foundation.
Typically, slab leaks are a result of problems with your pipes. For example, an older plumbing system can become corroded from the inside out thanks to the buildup of minerals and other deposits. Even the use of corrosive household cleaners in the plumbing can cause the pipes to corrode over time. Pipes can also leak if they were not installed properly or if the connections fail. Pipes can even rupture if they freeze.
Problems with the slab or other foundational issues can also cause a pipe leak. When a home is first built, a structural engineer is supposed to inspect the ground to ensure that it is stable and can bear the weight of the structure. If the engineer made an error, or if the contractor did not follow the engineer’s recommendation to move the structure or to stabilize the soil, it can lead to problems later. The soil can shift, causing pressure to bear down on the pipes and rupture them or cause a leak.
What to Do if You Have a Slab Leak?
If you think you have a slab leak, the first thing you need to do is call an experienced plumber to inspect the area and determine if there are any problems with the pipes. Your plumber will use the least invasive measures available to discover the source of the problem. However, your plumber may need to take more extensive measures if the source of the problem is well hidden, such as using a jackhammer to open up the slab and look below it.
Your plumber will let you know if the pipes are the source of the problem. If they are not, you may also need to consult with a structural engineer, who can tell you if there are issues that need to be addressed in the foundation of the house or the ground below the house. You may need to work with a team of experts to properly correct the problems that led to your slab leak, and that can take up a lot of time and money.
The best way to avoid slab leaks is to take care of your plumbing system and ensure that your pipes are always in their best health. You can do that by scheduling regular plumbing inspections and by consulting with a re-pipe specialist when your system is starting to age out. You can’t predict problems with the foundation, so you can’t always avoid slab leaks, but you can take control over the health of your plumbing and prevent problems from that source.
Integrity Repipe is the California re-piping specialist that you can trust. We will inspect your system and let you know if you have a problem with your plumbing waiting to happen. We can re-pipe parts of your system that are having problems, or we can re-pipe an aging system to give your home the best protection and to improve the quality of your water delivery. Call us if you have an older plumbing system or you are experiencing problems like visible leaks, smelly water, tinted water, or low water pressure. You may need to upgrade your pipes!
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
Integrity Repipe Inc – Mission Viejo, CA
27281 Las Ramblas, Suite 200
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Phone: 877-473-7473
Website: integrityrepipe.com
Integrity Repipe Inc – San Clemente, CA
927 Calle Negocio Suite O
San Clemente, CA 92673
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Long Beach, CA
2201 N Lakewood Blvd, Ste D #297
Long Beach, CA 90815
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Chula Vista, CA
591 Telegraph Canyon Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: 619-313-5744
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Ladera Ranch, CA
27762 Antonio Parkway L1
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Phone: 949-397-2795
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Lakeside, CA
8337 Winter Gardens Boulevard
Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: 619-494-3507
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Integrity Repipe Inc – Aliso Viejo, CA
27068 La Paz Rd #771
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Phone: 949-449-1142
Website: integrityrepiping.com/aliso-viejo-repipe-copper-pex-ca
Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
Website: integrityrepiping.com/oceanside-repipe-copper-pex
Integrity Repipe Inc – Porter Ranch, CA
19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
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