Struggling with slab leaks? Call Champion Plumbing at 405-889-1318 to get reliable plumbing service.
Homeownership provides one of the greatest joys you can experience in life, as there’s nothing like having a place for you and your family to call home. Yet there are countless issues that can make homeownership stressful. Among them all, few issues cause as much stress and headaches as slab leaks, so many homeowners ask, “What is a slab leak?”
Champion Plumbing’s expert plumbers in Midwest City have years of experience helping homeowners fix their plumbing issues. We say that slab leaks are extremely common, much more than many homeowners assume. In this guide, we explain what causes this common problem, warning signs for you to consider, and information that you can use to fix your slab leak problems once and for all.
What Is a Slab Leak?
Slab leaks afflict homeowners everywhere. When your home’s water pipes break, they release water, but with a slab leak, this water release happens underneath your home’s concrete slab. This slab is your home’s foundation; in that respect, slab leaks directly threaten your home’s structural integrity.
Common Causes of Slab Leaks
Slab leaks can occur for any number of reasons. However, we find that these are some of the most common causes of slab leaks:
- High water pressure: Excess water pressure puts immense strain on your home’s pipes and can crack or rupture them after prolonged exposure.
- Pipe corrosion: Older homes use corrosion-prone metals like copper for their piping. With enough time, this corrosion can break the pipes and lead to both small and large water leaks.
- Abrasion: Pipes often move around and jut into solid surfaces within your home’s foundation; this abrasion process can cause them to crack.
- Earthquakes: Did you know that earthquakes can cause slab leaks? While this might be a rare occurrence, even a small tremor can shake your home’s foundation and cause slab leaks; it’s something to watch out for.
Whatever the cause, one thing is certain: you need to detect and repair slab leaks before they cause permanent damage to your home.
Signs of a Slab Leak
It’s important to ask, “What is a slab leak?” Yet it’s just as crucial for you to recognize the signs of a slab leak. Here are several tell-tale signs that you suffer from this common plumbing problem.
Expensive Utility Bills
Consider your utility bills. Have you noticed a sudden, unexpected increase in your water costs? It’s common for homeowners who experience slab leaks to notice sharp spikes on their monthly bills, even if they haven’t upgraded or changed their water services.
High water bills can mean many different things. Leaky faucets, broken fixtures, and sprinkler system issues: we find that these issues often strain homeowners’ budgets. Yet slab leaks are the worst of all, as they cause the highest increases in water expenses; don’t hesitate to call a professional when you notice something wrong with your bill!
Water Pressure Issues
Ideally, your home’s water pressure should be at a moderate, consistent level that gives you the ability to easily handle daily chores, along with other important tasks like bathing and cooking. However, water pressure issues can cause slab leaks. Low water pressure from your showers and sinks could indicate that there’s an obstruction somewhere in your system, while excess water pressure can indicate that there’s a slab leak as well.
Water pressure issues might seem like a problem that you can delay fixing, but don’t wait; the longer you hesitate to get repairs, the more likely it is that your home’s plumbing system will completely fail.
Wet Flooring
Slab leaks occur underneath your home’s concrete foundation, but sometimes water can reach your flooring. Water can permanently damage your floors, whether they’re carpet, tile, or wood. Mold and mildew especially thrive on wet floors.
Don’t pull up your carpet or flooring by yourself, as this can make the problem much worse. Instead, call your local slab leak experts, as they have the tools and experience needed to fix all types of plumbing systems.
Warm Spots
Water damage isn’t the only problem that can affect flooring during a slab leak. Did you know that warm spots on your floor indicate a slab leak? Linoleum and carpet stand out as particularly vulnerable to this issue, but you might notice some warmth coming from your hardwoods as well.
Hot water builds up underneath your flooring during a slab leak. Although you might not mind having warm floors, you need contractors to fix a slab leak before it’s too late.
Water Puddles
Water buildup anywhere inside or outside your home suggests that you suffer from a slab leak. Common hotspots for puddles include spaces near fixtures such as washing machines, water heaters, and toilets, as well as portions of your yard close to your home’s foundation. Water coming from your home’s system needs to escape somewhere.
Repairing Slab Leaks
When dealing with a frustrating slab leak, you might feel inclined to attempt a DIY repair, using tools to break through your home’s foundation to fix any broken or damaged pipes. However, we don’t recommend DIY repairs.
DIY repairs cause more problems than you might assume. For example, you could accidentally damage your home’s foundation or rupture more pipes, causing flooding or perhaps hot water burns. Why take that risk when you can work with slab leak professionals?
Slab leak repair experts can identify the source of your leak and the precise reasons why it happened. Depending on the circumstance, we’ll either repair the pipes that cause the leak or replace your home’s piping entirely.
Midwest City’s Slab Leak Experts
Now that you know the answer to the question “What is a slab leak?” you need quality slab leak professionals that can fix your home’s issues. Look no further than Champion Plumbing, the best plumbing service in Midwest City, OK.
To learn more about how to handle mold after a water leak, or to schedule service, call us at (405) 889-1318 today!
