With So Many Options For Slab Leak Repair, Getting Your Pipes Under Control Is Worth It | Arlington, TX

With So Many Options For Slab Leak Repair, Getting Your Pipes Under Control Is Worth It | Arlington, TX

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Plumbing leaks under your home’s concrete slab foundation aren’t just wasting water, though these days that’s becoming a bigger problem with rising water costs and drought concerns. As water leaks from pipes below the concrete, it can be an indication of shifting soil that may be ready to cause further plumbing damage and more major leaks. Pooling water beneath your foundation that may even start to appear along the sides of your home, watering your bushes, and causing quicksand-like loose soil, can put pressure on the concrete. When enough water builds under your slab, especially in one area alone, it can cause shifts that lead to cracks in your basement floor and foundation walls. Slab leak repair, from Slableak.com in Arlington, TX, is a critical preventive measure that helps avoid major damage.

There Are a Variety of Slab Leak Repair Techniques to Choose From

As slab leak plumbing experts, we use a number of technological tools to help locate leaks and then review several approaches to accessing the pipes that allow the homeowner to balance their priorities. In some cases, digging under the slab is the best solution, followed by repairing the pipes and restoring the soil underneath the home. In other cases, we may suggest access through the basement floor, cutting through concrete for targeted access to make repairs. Homeowners can also consider whether rerouting piping through their basement is a better option than making repairs in place, especially if the existing pipe material is not in good overall condition and is likely to continue springing leaks due to corrosion or decay.

Targeting Slab Leak Repair Saves Time and Cost

As with water line leaks and drain pipe leaks, we have methods of listening to pipes, inspecting them from within using video, and mapping thermal changes that may indicate the location of a leak. Instead of exploring to find the problem, we can often target a specific spot and dig or cut through concrete in a more limited way, video inspection tools also help us check the condition of the pipe, which can be an important factor in selecting the best slab leak repair technique for your unique situation. Our slab leak team can also perform periodic inspections using these techniques to detect signs of leaks before they become a major problem.

Possible Signs of a Slab Leak

It’s important to catch a slab leak before it becomes a large problem, affecting your foundation, yard, and even extending to other aging pipes under your slab. Your observations can be the key to recognizing a potential slab leak problem under your home.

  • Discoloration in your basement concrete floor
  • Sounds of water running when it shouldn’t be
  • Wet spots in the basement or near your foundation
  • Water meter turning with no water in use
  • Hot areas of your basement floor, especially near the water heater, from hot water line leaks

In cases where unexpected sounds of water flowing or water meter movement are a concern, it’s important to check for other sources of leaks, such as toilet flapper valves. If you’re not sure whether you have a slab leak but you have signs that could possibly indicate one, our team can perform advanced testing to directly check your plumbing under the slab before repairs are initiated.

If a Slab Leak Is Found, You Have Options

Classic slab leak repair involves time and labor to access the pipes and perform repairs either by digging from the side of your foundation or jackhammering through concrete and digging down to repair pipes. Pipe replacement is one option while using the existing pipe as a sleeve to receive a pipelining can simplify the work. Another choice, which often requires less cutting and digging, bypasses existing pipes and runs new ones through walls, attic spaces, and exposed through basement spaces instead. If there are issues with soil movement under your home, this may even be a preferable option to keep your pipes from being affected by clay soils swelling and shrinking. Slab leak repair is especially important when it removes a source of additional water that could affect clay-type soil movement.

Hot Water Heater Issues Can Be Slab Leak Related

In some homes, the hot water heater lines run under the slab as well. This can lead to warm spots on the floor if hot water is pooling underneath from a pipe leak, and can also show as a hot water heater that runs constantly, trying to keep up with the leak and wasting lots of energy in the process. Our plumbers can help you determine whether you need a slab leak repair instead of a water heater repair to solve your hot water supply problems.

Your Plumber’s Skill and Experience in Slab Leak Repair Makes All the Difference

Many of these repair and detection techniques rely on the plumber’s expertise to accurately locate the leak and dig or jackhammer to the repair location without affecting the rest of your home’s under slab piping and foundation stability. That’s why we specialize in slab leak related services as part of our plumbing practice. Since our team has experience with hundreds of homes in the area, we know the typical construction techniques, soil types, and other factors that affect the way we approach your home’s slab leak repairs. We’re Texas state-licensed, in business since 2004, and provide a full range of residential and commercial slab leak and general plumbing services.

Your Arlington, TX Slab Leak Specialist and General Plumber

Slableak.com is your best choice when you need the security of a specialist’s services for your slab leak problems. You’ll also find us your preferred plumber in the Arlington, TX area for other household plumbing services, including drain and water line testing and repair throughout your home and video camera inspection of clogged or older pipes. Give us a call for slab leak services, general plumbing, and 24/7 emergency plumbing services.