Causes Of Slab Leaks & How Slab Leak Repair Works | Arlington, TX
Slab leaks are among the plumbing issues that have the gravest consequences. Ignoring them will only result in more serious damages such as foundation issues. The water from the slab leak will be absorbed by the soil beneath, resulting in serious damage to your foundation. At worst, they can result in a structural shift at your home, a particularly expensive issue to repair. Hence you should never ignore slab leaks at your home.
But how can you address this particular plumbing issue? The most ideal or the best solution to this issue is enlisting the assistance of a professional plumber for regular maintenance and inspections. The professionals will notice a problem with your slab drains and water lines before it becomes a catastrophe. They will offer your Arlington, TX, home slab leak repair services if they notice a leak. But what causes slab leaks?
Causes of Slab Leaks
Though slab pipes are buried underneath, several signs indicate a slab leak. These include some damp spots on your floor or carpet, high water bills, cracks in your slab, and reduced water pressure. But what causes leakages under the slab? Well, multiple things might cause this particular plumbing issue. However, the most common culprits of slab leaks that will almost definitely require repair include:
Ground Shifts
Contrary to the belief that the earth is fairly static, it constantly moves and shifts. If your home’s weight is too heavy for the slab, the ground shifting can result in leaks and cracks in the slab. When this happens, you should enlist the services of a slab leak repair company to address the problem. The shifting ground is also a result of earthquakes and other seismic movements
Poor Quality Pipes
The leaks under your slab normally result from using pipes of poor quality or improper construction. This will commonly arise if you purchase the plumbing pipes without consulting a professional plumber or enlist an inexperienced professional to lay down the plumbing system. To avert this issue, install the pipes made from a material less vulnerable to water. Copper plumbing pipes are pretty soft and can withstand corrosion better than those made from galvanized steel. However, they are still corrosion-prone. Hence, install CPVC, PEX, and PVC pipes to ensure they don’t corrode and weaken, resulting in leaks.
pH of Water
Besides water pressure, its pH levels do matter too. Neutral water has a pH of 7. If the water has a pH of about 6.5-8.5, it is acidic. Alkaline, acidic, soft, and hard water can easily corrode the pipes. As a general rule, ensure that you measure the PH of your water on a routine basis. If the pH levels show a massive surge or dig, consider enlisting the services of a plumber.
Improper Pipe Wrapping
The other major cause of slab leaks at your home is the improper wrapping of the pipes. As the water flows through your pipes, they contract and expand. Hence, they need to be properly wrapped to ensure they don’t spring leaks. Further, the pipes become bent or dented in the installation process sometimes. This might cause leakages and prompt you to seek the assistance of a slab leak repair technician in Arlington, TX.
Foundation Clay
When water and clay come into contact, the clay’s chemical composition begins changing. It expands when it reacts with water and later contracts as the water begins drying up. This might have unintended consequences, such as cracks developing on your foundation or flooring. Hence, ensure that a reputable slab leak repairs professional addresses the problem. Otherwise, you might incur a lot in restoration installing support structures to your house.
Natural Disasters
Earthquakes, soil erosion, and floods can also exert pressure on your home’s slab. This will cause the house to shift or move, exerting more pressure on the pipes. The slab leaks arise. Hence, the other common cause of slab leaks is natural disasters.
Addressing Slab Leak Repairs
If you notice any of the signs above of slab leaks, do not wait for things to worsen before you call a plumber. You should enlist the services of a professional immediately.
The technician will fix the slab leak promptly before it results in a catastrophe. If you wait to see whether the issue will disappear, it will only worsen. The professional will use several options to repair the slab leak in your home, including:
Re-Pipe
Do you prefer a long-term slab leak repair solution for our Arlington, TX home? Then a whole house repipe is a great option. This is a great solution, especially if your home has several slab leaks. It permanently stops the leaks. Consult your reliable plumber for the best or right pipe material to purchase. A repipe is an upgrade, meaning that your water within the water lines or the wastewater in the drains can flow smoothly.
Spot Repair
Newer homes normally prefer spot repairs because there is only a single leak and all the other pipes are functional. The plumber will open up the slab and repair the slab at a specific point. Spot repairs are usually quite inexpensive. However, they aren’t a good option if your home was constructed several years back.
Epoxy Pipe Coating
This is the cheapest slab leak repair method. The plumbing expert will demolish your home a little and pour an epoxy coat on the leaking pipes. You are lucky if the leak can be patched using the epoxy coating. However, this option is used for minor leaks. Hence, enlisting the services of a plumber for maintenance will ensure that the leaks are detected before they become full-blown.
Trenchless Pipe Repair
The technology has brought about new changes in the plumbing industry, and one of these is trenchless pipe repairs. This slab leak repair has a lot of advantages, but the biggest of them is that it doesn’t require any excavation or digging of our slab.
Re-Routing the Pipes
It can be time-consuming to re-route the pipes at your home. This is because it involves demolishing the concrete slab, hence generally avoided. However, if your floor and walls require some repair, the plumber will re-route the pipes. As you may have already guessed, re-routing the pipes is an expensive option, though it can solve many issues.
Leaks in your slabs might result in serious structural damage to your home if left unattended for long. Hence, have a slab leak repair technician address the issue whenever you suspect leaks under your slab. Call Slableak.com for slab leak detection repairs today.