When you talk about the slab leak problem, it is a fact of life as every home is built on the soil. But the issue of a slab leak is widespread in those areas where houses are built on concrete slabs, soil is unstable, etc., due to which basement walls can crack and break, putting pressure on the plumbing pipes.
However, several pipes beneath the home’s foundation offer water to various facets of the house. They are connected to the local municipality’s main water supply lines and sewage system. But with time, these pipes start corroding and cracking as the home becomes older. When these pipes get damaged, it is pretty challenging to detect the signs of the water leak. Due to serious slab leak problems, you can experience severe water damage, which can damage various things in your home like furniture, walls, appliances, etc.
So, how to resolve the problem of a slab leak in your home?
To get this answer, we have compiled this article in which you will come to know the different ways to fix the slab leak problem. All these other methods depend upon how the house is constructed and where the leak is located.
But before we discuss methods to fix the problem of slab leak repair let’s find out the cause of slab leak: –
- Soil expansion or contraction
- Chemistry
- Abrasion and other outside pressures
- Earthquakes
- High water pressure
- Deteriorating copper pipes
- Water is highly acidic
Signs of slab leak problem in your home
When your home is having a problem with a slab leak, and you are not aware of it, the below signs can assure that there is a slab leak. They are: –
- High water bills
- Shallow water pressure in faucets
- The foundation of your home is cracked
- It is tough to open doors or windows
- Water spots on the floor
- Gaps appear between wall and flooring
- Growth of mold and mildew
- Wet floors
- Strange odors
Simple ways of slab leak repair
If you suspect that your home or business is dealing with a slab leak, the step you must take is calling a professional of slab leak repair. They will inspect your home and diagnose the issue quickly with the help of the latest tools and equipment. Once they pinpoint the leak’s location, they have many options by which they repair the problem. Some of them are: –
Trench-less slab leak repair
This method of repairing slab leakage needs minor demolition as they will create access holes to fix. This method is most non-destructive and doesn’t take much cost from all other options. Once the professionals reach the leak, they take the help of epoxy pipe liners to seal the broken pipe.
Before sealing, they also do a camera inspection to see the extent of the damage. However, if the trench-less repair is viable, they first clean the pipe, seal the tube with epoxy pipe liner, and inflate it. This process can be completed in a few hours, but this method is only successful if the pipes are less damaged. Otherwise, they have to go for pipe splitting, which involves inserting new lines more significant than the existing ones.
Tunnel under the house
Digging a tunnel is another least invasive method of slab leak repair. When professionals locate the leakage, they first find the nearest exterior wall and dig an access pit around three deep.
After that, they make a tunnel horizontally to reach the location of the repair. However, digging a tunnel is massive work. An entire excavation crew typically does it, but it doesn’t take any heavy equipment.
This method is only done to replace a more extensive section of the damaged line. On the other hand, in many cases, the leakage is coming from an inbuilt pipe concrete that needs to be chipped out with the help of a tiny jackhammer.
No doubt it is tremendous work, but it is the best method to prevent damage inside your home in many cases.
Pipe re-piping or rerouting
When the leakage is in multiple pipes, then professionals opt for the re-piping method of slab leak repair. In this method, they will install new lines so that the whole system will be leak-free. However, this method needs demolition if your home has pipes inside the walls which require replacement. But, it is best suited when you have to replace a small number of pipes.
Rerouting takes a few days, which wholly depends upon the contractor’s efficiency and how much work is there. When you opt for this method, you have to leave your home and stay at any other place until the job is completed.
Pass through the old line
This is one of the oft-looked methods to repair the slab leak issue. However, it is very similar to the reroute approach and quickly eliminates the entire leaking line. Once professionals discover a new and smaller line, sometimes they run through the old copper line with sleeve help.
When the line is passed through one end to another, it is reconnected, and the water is restored. However, the best part of this method is that it reduces the old line’s diameter in the slab leak repair.
Install pipe lining
This is another non-invasive way to fix the slab leak problem in your home. A thin layer of epoxy coating is inserted in the interior of the galvanized steel or copper pipes. Once the epoxy is embedded in the pipe, it will become hard to cover the cracks and holes of the pipes.
The bottom line
These are some of the methods used by experts to repair the slab leak problem in-home or business. But when the point is the integrity of the foundation, always trust the experts as they have proven experience, skills, and qualifications in this field. So, if you notice any of the signs of a slab leak, which we have discussed above, ensure to address the issue as soon as possible to prevent excess damage.
Apart from that if you want to know about Leaky Roof then visit our Home Improvement category.
Author Bio:- Karl Brown
Karl, a marketing manager at EZ Leak Detection, loves to write about plumbing and HVAC services to make the life of the reader easier. Leakages in your property can be dangerous but not all the leaks are easily accessible. He has given extensive information about water leaks and slab leaks and tips to detect them quickly along with quick solutions to prevent you from inconveniences and health hazards.
Leakage problems and malfunction of appliances demand comprehensive solutions. Also, regular maintenance is not the thing to be missed for leading a life with zero hassles. Read our recent post related to leakage detection and repair, alerts for HVAC shutdown and how to repair it, and installation of AC and water heater in San Diego.
