7 Signs of Plumbing Leaks below the Foundation

A slab leak can happen anywhere a pipe runs under a concrete slab. They are more likely to occur in older homes. However, they do occur in new construction as well. How can you tell if you have a slab leak?

Here are seven signs that you may have a leak under your slab foundation.

  1. A decrease in Water Pressure

When water starts leaking, it causes the pressure in your pipes to decrease. A hidden leak can make it hard to detect where the problem lies. If you have no obvious reason why your water pressure is decreasing, you need a professional to come out and take a look. Finding a slab leak early can prevent major problems in the long run.

  1. Sudden Spike or Gradual Rise in Water Use

You open up the water bill and get an unexpected surprise. It’s significantly higher than it was last month. There’s no obvious reason for the spike in water use. You likely have a hidden leak. It could be under your slab foundation.

Alternatively, you may find that your water usage has been slowly climbing over a long period of time. You don’t know why it’s happening because there have been no major changes in the way your family uses water. You likely have a small slab leak that’s gradually getting bigger.

In either case, you need a professional to find the leak and fix it.

  1. Water in Unexpected Places

Are you finding pooling or flowing water in places it’s never been seen before? Water always heads for the lowest point. If it accumulates under the foundation, it will eventually start flowing out from under the slab. That’s an almost sure sign that you have a slab leak.

  1. Mold or Mildew, Seen and Unseen

Damp conditions are perfect for mold and mildew growth. You may notice black spots developing on the carpet or on the bottom of the drywall. You may not see it at all, but the smell may be overwhelming. If you suddenly smell a musty odor that wasn’t there before, you may have a slab leak you didn’t know about.

  1. Constantly Running Water Heater

If you have a hot water pipe develop a leak under the slab, your water heater may be working overtime. You may hear the water flowing in and out of it. You may notice your gas or electric bill spiking along with the water bill. All are signs that you may have a slab leak.

  1. Unexplained Flooring Damage

Do you have damp carpets? Is your hardwood floor buckling and warped? Is there low or high spots that weren’t there a few weeks ago? Unexplained flooring damage can be a tell-tell sign that you have a hidden leak. Water is filtering up and causing the flooring damage.

Get a plumber out to find the leak and get it fixed. Then you can fix your floors and get back to living life.

  1. Unexplained Damage to Your Home

You see a crack developing on one of your walls. Doors in one part of the house are starting to stick. The floor is getting lower in one spot. All of this damage could be signs of a hidden leak in your slab foundation.

As the leak gets worse, it washes away the dirt that’s holding up the concrete slab. The foundation starts to settle into the dirtless void. This can cause the drywall to crack, floors to fall, and doors to stick. When you start to see unexplained damage like this, bring in a slab leak professional to assess the situation.

 

What’s the Solution to Slab Leaks?

Do you notice cracking in your walls, sticking doors, or buckling flooring within your home? These are all tell-tail signs of plumbing leaks located below your foundation. When left unchecked, slab leaks can be detrimental to your foundation and cost you several thousand dollars in foundation repair costs.

Accurate Leak and Line’s team of Master Plumbers specialize in slab leak plumbing repair and trenchless plumbing technology. Homes built prior to 1980 have original metallic piping which deteriorates with age and will leak sewer below your foundation.

Accurate Leak and Line utilizes no-dig trenchless plumbing technology, along with conventional excavation and re-routing methods, to replace these aging systems externally, with no cosmetic damage to the interior of your home.

Trust the team of Master Plumbers at Accurate Leak and Line. For more information, visit accurateleak.com or call us to schedule a free inspection with one of our Master plumbing slab leak technicians.

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