Essential Information About Slab Leak Repair | Mansfield, TX
Unstable, shifting soil can exert powerful pressure on sewer and water lines under your slab foundation. This can result in a slow leak or gushing flood that requires immediate attention. Excess rain and running water can also undermine your home’s concrete slab. When water pools underneath the slab, it can result in damage to your pipes. Fortunately, slab leak detection can pinpoint the cause of your water woes and first-rate slab leak repair provides an affordable way to address your leaking pipes immediately. SlabLeak.com serves residents in Mansfield, TX, and the surrounding communities.
How to Spot a Slab Leak
Here are some of the signs indicating you need slab leak repairs:
- Higher water bills unexplained by increased use
- Sound of water running beneath the slab (when taps are off)
- Cracks in your slab foundation
- Discolored tiles, carpeting or other flooring
- Warm places on flooring (could be a hot water leak!)
- Foul odors from walls or floors
- Shift in soil surrounding your home
How many of these symptoms sound familiar? Maybe it’s time to call in the experts for slab leak repair in Mansfield, TX.
How We Repair a Slab Leak
Working from outside the structure, we can either tunnel beneath the slab or through the concrete, as necessary. We do this instead of tearing up the entire slab to reach the pipes. Whatever we face, our skilled plumbers aim to minimize the damage to your flooring and home structure.
There are many different ways to conduct slab leak repair. Our equipment includes sonic, pressure, acoustic and electromagnetic components that help us measure the water pressure throughout your home. This helps us pinpoint where the leak originates in your metallic or plastic plumbing line. Tiny video cameras also give us a direct look at what’s happening in your pipes. The miniature camera sits on top of a fiber optic cable that pipes through your plumbing system to the source of the leak.
How Plumbing Materials Can Cause Slab Leaks
If you have a slab leak, your plumbing material has failed. This might be caused by weak water lines, faulty installation, shifting soil or chemical reactions between the components of your pipes and minerals and other components of the surrounding soil. Shifting soil is the main cause of slab leaks. However, it’s important to consider the type of material used in your plumbing system for accurate slab leak detection.
With age, materials and pipes, especially if they’re made of metal, begin to break down. Unfortunately, you can’t readily see pipes installed under your slab foundation. Nor can you tell how well they were installed. With our advanced tools, however, we can easily discern all the information needed to make the right recommendations for slab leak repair for your home.
Cast Iron Pipes
Cast iron pipes were used in most homes constructed before the 1960s. Cast iron vibrates less than plastic, resulting in quieter pipes when installed above ground. It’s also very durable and nearly fireproof. However, cast iron will eventually rust, making it a common issue for homes with plumbing installed beneath the concrete slab.
To put it simply, unprotected cast iron corrodes when it comes in contact with water and minerals in the surrounding soil. Cast iron pipes are now coated to protect the materials. However, that won’t help you if your home was built with naked cast iron pipes installed prior to 1960. If this is the case for your home, contact us today for slab leak detection services.
Galvanized Steel
Galvanized steel became common as a plumbing material in the 1950s. Although it’s strong, it’s susceptible to corrosion, similar to cast iron pipes. Eventually, the coding inside the pipes deteriorates, leaving your plumbing vulnerable to mineral buildup that can lead to clogs and constant plumbing bills. Both galvanized steel and cast iron pipes exceed their useful life after about 50 years. Therefore, it’s important to consider replacing these pipes if you’re having issues with slab leaks.
Copper Pipes
Rigid copper pipes are often used for hot and cold water lines. Similarly, water supply lines to dishwashers and ice makers often use flexible copper which resists corrosion. Although copper lasts a long time, it’s prone to dents which can be a problem once the walls wear thin, especially for pipes buried under slabs.
Plastic Pipes
There are many kinds of plastic pipes. All choices are corrosion-resistant and are good for above and below-ground use. Plastic pipes installed under slab foundations are a great choice for newly built homes. However, they are not without vulnerabilities. Fortunately, with plastic pipes, slab leak detection is easier than for some other materials. That’s because the wash of water through the pipes is a bit louder than in metal materials, making slab leak repairs easier too!
ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) was one of the first types of plastic used for pipes. However, it isn’t a great solution for new construction due to a problem with keeping the joints together. ABS can also cause slab leaks due to poor joints or incorrect installation.
PVC (polyvinyl chloride pipe) is commonly used for plumbing pipes in many applications, including slab plumbing. A slightly different version called CPVC (chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) uses chlorination to imbue pipes with higher heat tolerances for hot water lines. PEX (cross-linked polyethylene) is the latest type of plastic plumbing. Whether you have this installed in your current system or would like to replace your older materials with PEX, we are prepared to provide slab leak repair services for your home.
PEX has many admirable qualities. It’s easy to cut, flexible and allows for reliable joint construction, when properly installed.
Top Slab Leak Detectives in Texas
A slow slab leak can lead to cataclysmic results for the foundation of your home. Soil expansion will lead to substantial plumbing damage. Additionally, hydraulic pressure under the slab will cause the water to move upward, leaving behind cracks and weaknesses in your home. This may result in wet spots that threaten your flooring or an eruption that results in flooding. Fortunately, SlabLeak.com’s repair services can prevent this future from unraveling for your family.
Contact SlabLeak.com today to schedule slab leak repair for your Mansfield, TX home!