5 Ways You Can Detect a Slab Leak and Save Your Home’s Foundation | Slab Leak in Mansfield, TX
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Slab leaks are extremely overwhelming and worrisome for you and also for your home’s foundation. Not sure what a slab leak is? It is when water starts leaking in the underground pipes below the concrete flooring. Such leaks have the ability to harm your house flooring and foundation. In addition, they are also a pricey problem in the long run.
The causes of slab leaks are several; sometimes preventable and at other times, not even controllable. The truth is that the pipes located underground eventually wear and tear and start to leak. The reason may be old pipes, lack of maintenance, or weathering. You can prevent a slab leak in Mansfield, TX, by ensuring every few years that your underground pipes are doing well. Other times, keep an eye on a slab leak before it worsens and you can do damage control.
The question is how do you know when you have a slab leak in Mansfield, TX? We have 7 simple ways you can detect a slab leak in Mansfield, TX. Once you detect your slab leak, call a plumber immediately and do the needful to prevent even more complicated plumbing problems.
1. Check Your Water Meter
A water meter dial will clearly show you if you have a slab leak in Mansfield, TX. If the dial is activated when everything else in your house is shut down, it is signaling a leak, which is otherwise invisible. The water meter dial needles should be still if there is no water leak in the entire plumbing system.
In order to detect exactly which pipe is leaking, you can carry out these three small steps and find out which one is it.
- Mainline water valve: Every home has mainline water shut down valve. If you don’t have one, you need to call your plumber and get one installed immediately. This is the main line from which water is being supplied to your entire home. Most probably, you do have a valve installed and you are not aware of it. When you find your water mainline valve, turn it down and check the water meter. If the needles on the dial are not moving anymore, you have a leak in your mainline. If they are still moving despite the mainline being turned off, you can rule off the possibility of leak in the main line and go to the next step.
- Sprinklers system. This is the isolation valve for your house irrigation system. This may not be installed in every house but if you have one, you need to check it for the leak too. If you turn it off and see the needles moving, it means there is a leak but not from the sprinklers system. Move on to the third possibility.
- Water heater: The third possibility could be leakage from the water heater pipes. There is a valve on top of your water heater for the cold water incoming. If you turn it off and the needle stop moving, it means that there’s a leak in the cold water pipe as well. This shows that the leak is from the hot water pipe as all three other possibilities were ruled off.
2. Water Bill Rise
Your water bill could be silently, or evidently, giving you signs that you have a leak to look out for. Slab leaks in Mansfield, TX, can lead to excessively high water bills. If you notice a water bill spike and you aren’t able to justify the water usage, this may be a sign that there is a leak somewhere. If there is not evident leakage, it may be somewhere in the water pipes.
All you need to do to control the damage is to keep a check on your water bill and compare it month to month. If your water usage is the same but the bill is soaring, you may need to call a plumber.
3. Damp Carpets or Wet Floor
One of the most evident signs through which you can detect a slab leak in Mansfield, TX, is damp carpets and wet floors. Any sort of leak underground starts showing on your floor and often also starts causing cracks. If you notice any such dampness on your home floor, you need to call a plumber before it worsens.
A slab leak in Mansfield, TX, can cause damage to your floors, especially if they are wooden. At times, the leak can be under cupboards or on walls or corners behind furniture. Such leaks may go undetected for days or even weeks. It’s always better to keep an eye on your floors and walls.
4. Unusual Odor
Slab leaks in Mansfield, TX, may cause unusual odors. Since dampness and pools of water sitting for a long time can start causing mold growth, it is likely that you experience unusual and bad odors from around the house. Be aware of any such smells and odors that are unjustifiable. Most of the mold growth happens under the carpets.
5. Low Water Pressure
When there is a slab leak in Mansfield, TX, you will most likely notice low water pressure in your faucets. Also check all your faucets and appliances for leaks. If all of them are running fine and the possibility of leaks is ruled out, you should be worried about a leak.
If you feel the water pressure is getting lower, there may be a leak in some of the pipes. You can run the water meter test to find out which pipe is leaking or simply call a plumber and make your life easier.
If you are looking for the best plumber to fix your slab leak in Mansfield, TX, Benjamin Franklin is here for you. We have experts for the repair, maintenance, and replacement of your underground pipes. We are also available for emergency leak situations 24/7. Just call on 817-405-0434 and talk to our trusted professionals today.