How to Detect a Slab Leak | Insight from Your Arlington, TX Slab Leak Detection Service Provider
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A slab leak is a leak that happens in pipes that are laid beneath a concrete slab foundation. They can occur in both water and sewer lines and if they are allowed to go for a long period of time they can cause devastating damage to your home that will cost a lot of money to repair. An undetected slab leak can cause soil heaving; the shifting or moving of the ground beneath your home in Arlington, TX. This, in turn, can cause buckling and cracking in your foundation as well as cosmetic and structural damage to your home itself. The best way to protect your home and your belongings is to keep an eye out for any signs and symptoms of a slab leak and to contact a professional plumber at the first sign of trouble. Slab leak detection isn’t hard, it just requires understanding of what to look for. If you think you may have a leak contact someone with experience in slab leak detection, like a plumber, to check for you.
One of the easiest forms of slab leak detection is to listen for the sound of running water when you know there is no water running. If all your faucets are off, if the shower isn’t running and no one is doing a load of laundry but you can still hear water running through your pipes then there may be a slab leak. It’s a good idea to call a plumber no matter what when you hear running water with no sign of an open faucet, just because it means there is a leak somewhere in your home. While the plumber is there be sure to ask them to check your slab for any signs of leakage.
Check your water heater. Does it seem to be always running? That could be a sign of a hot water pipe slab leak. Likewise, you can shut off all your water usage appliances and then check your water meter. If it’s still running high then the chances are very good that you have a leak in your home. If you can’t find the leak easily then there is a very real risk that you may have a slab leak in your home.
Another easy to spot method of slab leak detection is an abnormally high Arlington, TX water bill. Certain times of year can cause an increase in water consumption, but a water bill that is outrageously high is often a sign that there is a leak somewhere in your home. Just like with the sound of running water with no cause, you should contact a plumber immediately to inspect your home. While they are there ask them to do some slab leak detection and make sure that the cause of your high-water bill isn’t a leak beneath the foundation of your home.
Do you usually have excellent water pressure? Sudden onset of low water pressure is an excellent form of leak detection. If you suddenly lose water pressure then you may have a leak in your home and that leak may be beneath your foundation.
When you’re walking around your home do you feel suddenly warm spots beneath your feet? These can be a serious sign of a slab leak. A slab leak can even cause water to puddle in your home and this can lead to another slab leak detection method – checking for mold and mildew. If your carpets smell like a wet animal, if you’re having to suddenly fight mold and mildew in your home like never before, then it’s likely you have a slab leak. The constant supply of warm water and moisture increases the development of mold and mildew in your home making it impossible to keep up. These molds and mildews can be a health risk in addition to a great leak detection sign.
An untreated slab leak causes the sand and dirt beneath your foundation to shift and heave. This causes your foundation to crack and shift. You’ll see signs and symptoms of this in the form of cracks in your foundation, floor and even your walls. If you see a crack appearing around your home reach out to a plumber for slab leak detection immediately before the damage becomes severe and causes irreparable damage to your home and foundation.
Lastly, any strange changes in your home may be forms of slab leak detection. Doors may not close properly because of foundation shifting, windows may start sticking, strange odors may appear both outside and inside your Arlington, TX home. If there are strange changes in your home that you just can’t seem to find an explanation for then you might have a slab leak that’s affecting your foundation.
If you think that you may have a slab leak a plumber can use a number of different types of slab leak detection to find out for certain. They may use shovels and drills to check both beneath and through the concrete slab for leakage, or they may use electromagnetic amplifiers and pipe locators. Both methods have pros and cons that you should discuss with your plumbing professional in order to discover the right method for you and your home.
Repairing a slab leak requires not just a plumber but also a foundation repair expert. It is better to hire both than just one, though some plumbers may be trained in foundation repair and there may be foundation repair specialists that also are excellent plumbers. A foundation repair specialist is trained to identify the strength and stability of your foundation slab and ensure that any repairs or having your pipes re-laid will not weaken the foundation or cause further problems down the line.