Being a homeowner can present some challenges from time to time, especially with regard to your home's plumbing system. You believe there are no problems with your plumbing, but you have suddenly noticed an increase in what is normally a very affordable water bill. There are no signs of water damage elsewhere in the walls or under the sink. The question is, where exactly is this leak? The process of diagnosing and repairing Slab leaks is one that is not overly complicated and can be done by an experienced plumber.

What is a slab leak?

A slab leak, to put it in the most basic words possible, is a leak that occurs in the copper piping buried under your concrete slab foundation. This leak may be nothing more than a few drops, or it may be a large crack in your plumbing. This is a leak that needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible and corrected as soon as possible afterward. If you let a slab leak for an extended period of time, you will have other problems besides a high water bill.

Causes of slab leaks

It is possible that the natural shifting of the ground beneath your home is to blame for this problem. There are several other possible causes that could play a role here.

The foundation was built incorrectly. If you have a more recent home and are still having problems with a slab leak, you should consider hiring a plumber and home inspector to investigate the possibility that your home was built with an improperly laid foundation.

Earth movement. Earthquakes have the potential to cause slab leaks in certain locations. But even in locations that don't experience earthquakes, things can shift and put pressure on your pipes due to factors such as soil erosion and underground waterways.

Water corrosion. Pipes are more likely to corrode when supplied with very hard or very soft water. This results in pinhole leaks, which, if left unchecked, can eventually develop into major slab problems.

Friction. When this happens, your pipes can leak because they rub against the concrete foundation of your home. Pipes that carry hot water undergo expansion and contraction due to the heat of the water flowing through them. This can lead to an increase in the amount of friction that occurs between a hot water pipe and your home's concrete foundation slab.

Your house is old. Most of these causes of slab leaks can usually be found in older homes, which are more likely to have slab leaks. This is due to the fact that outdated pipes can contribute to all of these different factors that cause slab leaks.

How common are plate leaks?

In locations where homes are older and built on concrete foundation slabs, there is a high incidence of a problem known as slab leaks. In short, slab leaks are something that is all too common in the country. Plumbers who have received adequate training should have little trouble locating and diagnosing slab leaks.

Warning signs of slab leaks

How can you be sure you have a slab leak? The following features serve as indicators:

Wet floors or carpets

Mold under carpets

A higher than typical water bill

The sound of running water, even when all faucets are off

Low water pressure

Any unusually hot spots on your floor that you've never noticed before

How bad is a slab leak?

It's understandable if you're curious about whether or not you should pay attention to a slab leak, especially a small one. If you have any reason to believe that your home could be suffering from a slab leak, you should get it fixed as soon as possible. While you may not find a plumber to help you with your slab leak, even if your water bill is not extremely high when you first notice it, you have a lot of new problems to fix if you don't find one. Slab leaks almost always lead to mold problems, which can have significant adverse health effects on the people who live in the property. A really serious slab leak has the potential to cause the collapse of your home's foundation.

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