Slab Leak Repair

Call Streamline Plumbing For Slab Leak Detection and Repair?

We pride ourselves on the fact that we always find the leak, even when others can’t

  • We are a Father & Son owned company
  • We are on time, all the time
  • We have been experts in Slab Leak Detection & Repair for over 25 years
  • We are a small outfit and able to give fair prices
  • We care about our customers, our reputation shows it!
  • We offer Free 2nd opinions

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slab leak repair

 

slab leak repair

What is a Slab Leak?

If you are a homeowner and you are worried you might have discovered a slab leak, then please read more about what it is.

Slab Leaks are pressurized plumbing and pipe leaks which can occur beneath the concrete or slab within your house or anything built on slab foundations.

These types of leaks can occur with either the hot line or the cold line. Slab leaks most often occur within the houses incoming water line, but sometimes are known to take place within sewer lines.

Both types of leaks can cause large amounts of damage to the foundation.

If you have a leak in the incoming water line it will never stop leaking because the water pressure of that line will continue to flow water out through the hole and it will continually increase the size of the hole in your pipe.

This will result in major damage over time since water will be leaking out with increasing frequency.

When these leaks are above the ground they are known as pinhole leaks.

 

Signs Of a Slab Leak

  • crossing lines (hot water coming out of the cold side)
  • low amount of hot water
  • High water bills
  • water on floors
  • able to feel hot areas underneath your floor
  • mildew scent
  • if you notice water in the yard or in the house coming up from underneath the floor
  • Be sure to double check that the water is not coming from another leak source (one which is above ground for instance) such as your shower, toilets, faucets etc.

 

Do You Think You Have A Slab Leak?

When you are certain that no water is running inside your house, then go to your water meter which is outside of your home (usually by the entrance to your driveway underneath a stone block) and look for the leak indicator which is a small triangle or star on the face of the meter.

If the symbol is moving at all, even if it is very subtle, then that is a sure indicator that you do have a leak.

If you go to your shut off valve on the outside of your house and turn off the water and the meter stops running then that means that the leak is to a supply fixture in your home.

If the indicator does not stop moving when you shut the water off to your house then that means that the leak is on the service line going to your house, these can sometimes be underneath dirt or grass rather than a slab which can be a lot cheaper for you.

If you need a Quality Orange County Plumbing company then contact Streamline Plumbing today for a Free estimate.

 

Hints For Hiring a Slab Leak Detection Expert:

Breaking into a slab without positive confirmation of a leak location is not a wise approach. Don’t let anyone dig up your property just to search for leaks. Finding a slab leak requires a thorough process with technical expertise, and this is what Streamline Plumbing does well.

Locating leaks (without destroying your landscape and house) requires the use of modern tools such as electronic amplification equipment and electromagnetic pipeline locators.

Streamline Plumbing has highly trained leak detection technicians who use our own non-invasive leak detection equipment to accurately locate the leak to save time, money and avoid unnecessary property damage.

 

Rerouting For Slab Leak Repair:

To access the concrete slab requires digging through the concrete with a jack hammer, which of course can be costly and time consuming.

When Rerouting is a good option

When a slab leak repair is not possible or practical, then rerouting the pipes currently underneath the concrete slab is commonly the best option.

Dealing with multiple leaks in a pipe can make the repairs very difficult, and ultimately just rerouting the pipes might make more sense.

How to reroute the pipes

Please remember that this type of piping work should be left to an experienced professional, like Streamline Plumbing.

It takes years of experience to know the best locations for the new piping, and to be 100% sure that there are no leaks upon final inspection.

What type of piping to use

Plumbers will usually use PEX piping when they reroute the pipes. This is made up of a flexible material that will make turns easier and require fewer connections.

Also this option will last just as long as the original piping material that was installed.

Call Streamline Plumbing Today

Contact us today for immediate help.

We can come out for a free estimate and answer any questions you have.

Also we are a great resource for a FREE 2nd opinion.

 

 

Will Homeowners Insurance Cover a Slab Leak?

The short answer is maybe. If they do cover it, there will be some qualifications, and only a claims adjuster for your company can tell you for sure. Your slab leak repair will need to be inside the walls of your foundation.

You don’t have yard insurance, you have homeowners insurance so a leak on your service line outside of the foundation will not be covered.

On the bright side, if that is your leak problem, it is likely the least expensive kind of hidden underground leak to repair. If the leak is on the pressure side of your plumbing and the water under the house comes up through the slab and causes damage to your home or belongings, some portion of the work is very likely to be covered.

If you do not have damage to the above slab portions of your home, and the leak is inside the walls of the foundation, but still below the concrete slab floor, you may still be in luck.

When you call your homeowner’s insurance company, they may say that they will pay to find the leak, but not to repair the leak. Have no fear!

This means that the company will likely pay for the leak detection, pay to remove the slab, and whatever fill stands in the way of repairing the pipe. The company will likely not pay for the actual cutting of the pipe, the pipe and fittings to repair the leak, and the labor to repair the pipe.

Then they are likely to cover the cost of fixing your home back to the original shape it was in before the work was started. Only a claims adjuster can tell you for sure, and some companies may not cover any of this at all.

What is a Slab Leak?

A slab leak is the industry and insurance term for a leak in one of the water lines running below the concrete floor of your home. When these leaks are above the floor they are known as pinhole leaks.

Why do I have a leak?

In our opinion, based on inspecting 100’s of leaking lines, the leaks are primarily the result of a reaction between our drinking water and the copper pipes. We used to believe that leaks resulted from bad installation practices, non-reamed pipe, too much soldering flux, contact with concrete, rebar or rocks but that has proven to be a cause in a very low percentage of our inspections. Check out our slab leak information page for more.

How do you find the leak?

We use our experience on how your system is installed along with electronic listing and tracing equipment to help us locate the problem. Visit the leak detection page for detailed outline of the location process.

How do you fix the leak?

After the leak is located and isolated we will talk with you about the different options for repairing your specific problem and the associated costs. Our goal is to help you make the best decision for your specific situation. Visit our Slab Leaks page for repair options and descriptions.

What will my home owner’s insurance policy cover?

This varies between insurance companies. Generally you can expect your insurance company to cover the cost of the leak detection service, line access and isolation, dry out and restoration of your property to the condition before the leak occurred. The insurance companies will normally not cover the cost of the plumbing repair. Please note that we see exception to ALL of the above on a regular basis and insurance company responses will vary job to job with the same company and from company to company for the same problem. If you have an agent you can speak with without filing a claim then that is your best option for knowing what your coverage will be.

What does it cost to find and repair my leak?

Please see our pricing page or give us a call to discuss, we are happy to answer general pricing question over the phone be sure to ask about free leak detection. Most of the time we can locate, isolate, repair the pipe and patch up any access holes for less than $1,500.00. In the industry in general this same service will range from just over $2,000.00 on up to $5,000.00 or more by the time the process is complete with patching and finishes restored.

What Causes 90% of Slab Leaks?

1) Poor Workmanship
2) Shifting of the foundation
3) Roots
4) Water Chemistry
5) Water Velocity

How Is a Slab Leak Repaired?

With “direct access repair” we cut the cement slab and repair the leaking pipe. We then test the system for any additional leaks to make sure everything is running perfectly. Then we compact the hole and re-lay new concrete, fixing it all up so it is good as new.

Another option we offer is to re-route the line. This means we take a full section of the line and replace it from one manifold above the slab to another. An example of this would be if a line running from the water heater to the kitchen faucet were leaking. We would re-route the line from the water heater to the manifold located behind the kitchen sink.

Which method of plumbing repair would be the more efficient and cost-effective will depend on the situation and the size of the slab leak.

What are the different types of repair options for slab leaks and what are the benefits to each?

For residential properties the most common solution is a reroute and for commercial properties the most common solution is a direct repair. A direct repair is when we jackhammer into the floor to expose the pipe and a reroute is when we cancel the line and re-direct the line overhead. Typically residential property homeowners don’t want to ruin their flooring so a reroute is a cost effective and non-invasive solution. Every situation is different and I make sure to talk with my customers to make sure we determine the best fit for them, whether that’s a cost-effective solution or the most long-term solution like a repipe which is when we reroute all of the water lines under the slab.

What is your leak location process?

If it’s a hot water slab leak it’s easier to locate the leak because of the hot spots. Cold water slab leaks require an analysis of the home to check each fixture by pressurizing the line with a pressure gauge on one of the hose bibs to see if the gauge level drops. Once it’s determined it’s a cold water slab leak, I use an electronic sound devise that allows me to hear and pinpoint leaks under a concrete slab. The location process usually takes between one and two hours. An experienced slab leak locator will be able to precisely locate the leak in most cases. There are situations that can hinder an exact location (i.e., leaks under shower pans and cabinets), however a leak location can still be performed successfully.