5 Most Common Warning Signs You Need Slab Leak Repair | Mansfield, TX
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Unfortunately, some leaks can be hard to detect, and many Mansfield, TX, homeowners might not even be aware that there’s a pipe underneath their foundation that requires a slab leak repair service. Broken pipes under your home allow water to seep into the ground underneath and into the foundation supporting your home. As well as being a waste of water that can skyrocket the cost of bills, a slab leak can damage concrete and erode the nearby soil. Over time, this causes the foundation to buckle, which will cause cracks in floors and walls. In extreme cases, this could even cause the collapse of portions of your home.
How Common Are Slab Leaks?
The frequency of slab leaks varies depending on season and location. When winter settles in North Texas, and there’s plenty of moisture, rainfall, and mist, slab leaks can become more common. Excessive rain is absorbed by concrete, which causes more water to pool around existing pipes, putting pressure on them. This, unfortunately, also makes detecting a slab leak harder in Northern Texas as there may be a lot of water pooling because of heavy rainfall, and the poor quality soil itself goes from extremely dry to extremely wet quite often.
Slab leaks are also more common in areas that experience earthquakes. While more noticeable in states like California, North Texas has experienced a growing number of earthquakes in recent years. More than 1,300 minor earthquakes have been recorded since 2013, and while these would have been barely felt, they can still have a devastating effect on plumbing. Shifting ground puts more pressure on pipes and makes them more likely to crack and shear.
Older North Texan homes are also more vulnerable to slab leaks as the copper pipes and Orangeburg sewer pipes that were initially installed may be highly corroded. Without an inspection, you won’t know the state of your plumbing system offhand, and you may, unwittingly, be experiencing a slab leak that needs repair. In a nutshell, slab leaks are more common than you might think, and a slab leak inspection is highly recommended!
The Most Common Warning Signs
If you suspect you require slab leak repair, you may be experiencing the following symptoms:
- Random warm spots on the floor. If the hot water line in your Mansfield, TX, home is the one that’s leaking, you may be able to identify its location by checking for abnormally warm spots. In areas with thin linoleum flooring and carpeted flooring, slab leaks can be much easier to locate and repair. For tiled flooring, it can be much harder to identify if you need slab leak repair unless specialized equipment is used, or the leak is severe enough to cause water to affect the adhesive of your tiling. Hardwood flooring can also increase the difficulty of finding the warm spots, in which case, some of the following symptoms may be easier to recognize.
- Warped flooring. Warped flooring can affect hardwood flooring as well as other floor types. If the leak is severe and lasts for a while, a common phenomenon you’ll experience is ‘domed floors’ or newly raised areas. Warped flooring gives you a good indication of where the slab leak is occurring. Unfortunately, it also indicates there may be significant damage to the foundations that need to be looked at ASAP.
- Heaving foundations. If your foundation is experiencing a lot of swelling due to the presence of excess water, your building can actually be lifted away slightly. This phenomenon is called heaving. If this symptom is experienced, you must seek a slab leak repair service to assist in the repairs. Sudden, significant shifts in the building’s foundation can cause significant, sometimes irreparable, damage. You may see cracks on both interior and exterior walls, but there may also be cracks in the slab itself that you can’t see. A home settling into its foundations can also cause these signs, so it’s essential to consult a professional slab leak repair expert who can identify the differences.
- Costly water bills. While energy and water bills often fluctuate throughout the year, and energy provider increases could be the cause, expensive water bills can be a reliable indicator that your home may need slab leak repair. If you see a sudden spike in the cost and you know that you haven’t increased the water usage in your home and your provider hasn’t increased the basic cost of service, this can be an early indicator that there’s a leak.
- Excessive mildew, mold, or moisture. If you’re in need of slab leak repair, you may most commonly see moisture, mold, and mildew building up under your carpets. The damp environment caused by a slab leak is a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew that loves the dark and the damp. The mold can also discolor your walls and flooring, giving you a visual indicator that your home might be experiencing a slab leak.
If you suspect that your home may be experiencing a leak, there are a couple of other symptoms that can indicate whether your home is undergoing a slab leak. If your water meter is continuing to run after you have turned off the main water valve that services your home, or if you’re hearing water running when no taps are running, or no drains are emptying, you may need the assistance of an expert leak detection and repair service.
Why Choose Our Slab Leak Repair Service?
Benjamin Franklin Plumbers slab leak division offers advanced slab leak detection and slab leak repair services. Using electronic and radar equipment, your slab leak will be quickly located, and repairs completed. Our specialists are fully trained to repair and replace broken pipes in or under your concrete slab, either by capping and rerouting broken pipes or performing direct access repairs. Our certified slab leak professionals are always on-call. Call us now to arrange a slab leak inspection or repair service.