Warning Signs of a Slab Leak

Every now and again, leaks can occur in the home. It can happen to even the most diligent homeowner. Thankfully, many of the most common leaks occur in relatively easy-to-reach areas such as below a sink or in the shower or toilet.

Unfortunately, some leaks can happen where they are hard to detect, let alone fix. When a pipe underneath a home’s slab foundation has a leak, most homeowners may not notice they have a problem for a long time. The broken pipe allows water to seep into the ground and the home’s foundation. In addition to wasting water, the leak can damage the concrete and erode the soil around it. Over time, it may cause the foundation to buckle and shift, cracking the home’s floors and walls. In severe cases, it can even cause portions of the house to collapse.

For many homeowners, water leaks in a slab foundation may go completely unnoticed until they get a utility bill with a much higher than normal water cost. After that, most  homeowners will check all of the usual suspects in water leak issues, such as faucets, toilets, showers, and hoses in and around the home to see if they can locate the leak. The dreaded slab leak will often escape a homeowner’s notice during and after a visual inspection process.

Warning Signs of a Slab Leak

If you suspect that you have a leak underneath your home’s slab foundation, here are a few things that can help you locate the leak.

Warm Spots On the Floor 

If the hot water line in your home is the one with the leak, then you may be able to find the location of the leak by checking for abnormally warm spots on your floor. If you have a carpeted floor, or really thin linoleum floors, this can be fairly easy. For a tile floor, this may be more difficult unless the leak is severe enough to cause water to flow into the space between the adhesive and the tiles. In such an instance you may have other warning signs for water damage in your tile flooring. Hardwood floors may also increase the difficulty of finding a warm spot in the floor.

Raised “Dome” In the Floor

If a leak is severe enough and lasts for a while, you may notice damage to your flooring in the form of warps in the shape of the floor. A common phenomenon in severe water damage is the formation of a “dome,” or raised area in the floor. While the presence of a dome in your floor can give you a good indication of the leak’s location, it also means that there is severe damage occurring to your home’s foundation.

Foundation Heaving 

If your foundation slab experiences swelling to an extreme degree, it can actually lift the building slightly. This occurrence is called heaving. If your home has undergone heaving because of a leak underneath the slab foundation, it is critical that you seek expert assistance in the repair.

If a sudden, significant shift occurs in the building’s foundation, it can cause severe, sometimes irreparable damage to the home. This damage can manifest as cracks on the interior and exterior walls as well as the slab itself. As settling in the building’s foundation can also cause these signs of damage, it is important to consult an experienced repair technician who can identify the differences.

Water Bill Increase 

If your water bill experiences a sudden spike without an increase in the basic cost of service or use of water by your family, that can often be an early indication that you have a severe leak.

Slab Leak Detection Equipment

If you cannot locate a leak through the above methods, it may be worth investing calling a professional plumbing with leak detection technology, such as gas or infrared leak detection.

How to Fix a Slab Leak

Now that you have located your slab leak, how do you go about repairing the problem? For the average person, this process is going to be a difficult, messy, and often costly endeavor. However with our trenchless technology we may be able to fix the problem without digging.

Calling IDS For Backup

If you need further advice about how to detect, service, and clean up after a major leak in your home, do not hesitate to contact ISD for assistance. At IDS, we have years of experience with home plumbing issues. Fully-licensed and insured, our team of professionals is dedicated to providing outstanding service to our customers whether we’re clearing a clogged sink or replacing a sewer line beneath your home’s foundation. Contact us today for a free estimate.