A Guide to Slab Leak Detection: Helping Homeowners Create a Safer Home | Mansfield, TX
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A slab leak is when a leak occurs in the pipes right below the concrete slab. As a result of such a leak, the water can rush out and flood the entire foundation of a home.
It is important for the homeowners in the Mansfield, TX area to learn more about slab leaks so that they can prevent the high costs associated with them. If you don’t know how to detect slab leaks in general, you will face unnecessary costs that come from water damage and waste.
You need to be able to detect the signs so that you can call for slab leak detection in the Mansfield, TX area, on time. Here is everything you may need to ensure that your home is safe.
Causes of Slab Leaks
Many foundations of homes are made on top of a clay layer. Clay foundations are more prone to developing slab leaks because clay is a soft material and can shift easily. If the slab shifts, it can cause a lot of damage to the house resting on this foundation. The concrete slab can crack and move under the weight, causing slab leaks to appear in the foundation.
You need to learn more about slab leak detection due to the constant shifts in moisture and humidity in the area. Clay expands and contracts when there are changes in the atmosphere. This can cause the concrete foundation to move.
It can be even worse if the clay under the foundation consists of different types of clay. They can all react to the atmosphere differently and expand or contract in different ways. This can cause massive trouble for the concrete slab.
The movement of the slab can damage the pipes that run along with it. If the pipes feel enough pressure, they can burst and cause the slab to shift even more. This is why it is important to call professionals at the right time.
Immediate Attention
The biggest issue with slab leak detection is that it needs to be quick. There are a multitude of problems that can occur if you don’t detect the slab leak in time.
Firstly, you will notice a significant increase in fungus and mold in the home. Leaking water can cause these to develop. This mold and fungus can lead to a significant drop in the quality of air and even cause health problems such as asthma. It can also cause an unpleasant odor in the home. This is why calling a professional is so important and needs to be done on time.
Damp floors and walls can also attract pests like termites. The flooding of water can damage your belongings, such as your furniture and appliances. There are also plenty of other costs that you will have to bear in such a scenario. This includes the rebuilding of the weakened structure, the increase in water bills, and the replacement of items that have faced water damage. The less costly option is to call professional services that specialize in slab leak detection if you start to see any signs of a slab leak.
Main Signs of Slab Leaks
There are some signs that can help you with slab leak detection. You need to look out for the following:
- If you aren’t using any water but can still hear water leaking in the house, call professionals.
- Hot spots can appear on the floors if the hot water pipes have burst.
- An unexplained lack of water or hot water in the house can also signify a leak.
- A sudden hike in the gas, electricity, or water bill without any changes in use.
- The water heater is working overtime to make up for the lack of hot water.
- Puddles that appear in the lowest level of the home, such as in the basement.
- Leaks can weaken the foundation of a home, causing cracks in the slab.
- The underside of the carpets in the home may develop mold, especially in the basement.
- An unpleasant odor lingering in the home can be a result of mold and fungus.
If you spot any of the signs in your house, you should call experts that are able to provide services for slab leak detection. It can be dangerous to ignore the problem as it only leads to unnecessary repair costs.
Confirming and Locating Slab Leaks
Even if you think you can detect slab leaks in your home through these signs, it is better to call experts that are able to perform slab leak detection. They can take a proper look at the foundation of your home that you can’t do without the proper knowledge and tools.
Accurate slab leak detection requires you to use proper electronic detection tools. These tools are used to pinpoint the exact location of the leak in your foundation. This can also help to narrow down the repair work. If you attempt to do it yourself, you may end up creating more problems for yourself.
Repair Techniques and Methods
There are a few ways that the team for slab leak detection in the Mansfield, TX area, will conduct repairs in your home. These include:
- Replacing any old, weak pipes made of iron, clay or Orangeburg. They are more prone to bursts and succumb to water pressure easily. Getting new ones will ensure that you don’t have to worry about slab leaks as much.
- They can fix the pipe by cutting open the foundation and making repairs accordingly.
- Using epoxy pipe coatings can also fix the leaks and will be a low-budget option for you.
Slab leaks can cause a lot of unneeded costs for homeowners. They can also damage the house and put the residents at risk. Its better to call the experts of Benjamin Franklin Slab Leak in Mansfield, TX at 817-405-0434 to detect and repair the issue at once.