When the plumbing system below the foundation of your home or business leaks, you need to reach out to an experienced plumber right away. Any type of plumbing leak could eventually lead to serious damage on your property, and slab leaks are no exception. When a pipe breaks or cracks under your foundation, it usually causes visible signs that indicate a serious problem going on underneath the slab itself. However, in order to address this issue quickly, it’s important to know what you’re dealing with and what signs to look for.
What Causes Slab Leaks?
Every house or commercial building is constructed with a foundation for stability and safety reasons. Usually, the plumbing for the structure runs through or underneath the sturdy foundation, also called a slab. If there is a leak in the plumbing systems underneath the slab, the water that escapes the pipes will seek the path of least resistance, which usually means it will find its way upward onto your property or inside your home.
Even though a slab leak has more to do with the plumbing system than it does the slab itself, it can cause serious damage to the foundation.
Signs Of A Slab Leak
Most slab leaks are easy to detect because water can be seen leaking through cracks or seems in the foundation. However, sometimes the leak can go undetected for a prolonged period of time because homeowners or property owners don’t know what symptoms to look for.
Common symptoms of a leak include:
- The sound of running water when all water sources are turned off
- Water seeps from cracks in the foundation
- Water gathers inside the house, especially around cracked tile or elsewhere on the floor
- The floor becomes heated in random areas
- Your water bill increases without explanation
- Mold or mildew begins to gather
- The water heater is constantly running, even if you did not turn on any hot water
- The water meter outside your home is constantly running
You may notice that a few of these signs include heat or hot water, specifically. Most slab leaks are hot water leaks, which means you may be able to identify a slab leak through the overuse of your hot water heater or because the hot water that is escaping is heating your flooring. However, cold water slab leaks are also possible and are still detectable.
To learn more about leak detection and how to identify a slab leak, watch our video.
Know the Potential Damage
If left unchecked, slab leaks can cause serious damage to your home or commercial property. As water seeps under your foundation, it could undermine the stability of your property before finally moving upward to leak through the slab itself. Additionally, when water does leak through the slab, it could cause serious damage to your yard and the flooring in your home.
How Professional Plumbing Services Can Help
Do you think you’re dealing with a slab leak? Our professional team of plumbing technicians at Guardian Plumbers are prepared to visit your residential or commercial property and address the issue at hand. We can diagnose the problem and provide you with whatever repair services necessary, including re-piping, re-routing existing pipes, or relining the damaged pipes. Contact Guardian Plumbers today to discuss your issue with our Wildomar plumbing company.
