Slab Leak Repair

What is a Slab Leak?

A slab leak will happen after water supply pipes or drainpipes that are encased or run under your concrete slab below your property become cracked, break, or burst. A leak may form after a number of reasons with the most common being pipe corrosion, friction from gravel, concrete, or other pipes causing wear and tear, high water pressure, improperly installed pipes, poor quality, and a shifting or settling slab.

How Slab Leaks Can Be Disadvantageous

A slab leak will have water leaking out of your pipes without use which will have your water bills increase. What’s more, a slab leak will cause foundation shifts as the soil surrounding the slab gets wet and causes movements. This can result in your pipe connections moving along with it which can ultimately mess around with your plumbing system. Slab leaks cause serious water damages to the property’s structure and possessions. You may see the formation of mold or mildew around the property which not only is cosmetically dangerous but not good for the health of occupants either.

Signs of You Need Slab Leak Repair

It’s best to get familiar with what may happen when a slab leak infiltrates your home. An obvious sign would be to hear running water around the home when water is turned off. Check your water meter, if you see spinning then that indicates water is still in use which can point towards a leak if the water is off. Other signs may be to see moisture under carpets or other flooring, cracks can develop on the walls or floors as a result of movement. You may smell the water around your property with a musty smell as well. An insect problem can arise due to these conditions and water bills will heighten as well.

In order to determine where the slab leak is taking place, it’s best to rely on a plumber to track a leak with the proper equipment. A licensed plumber will be able to come up with a plan that will have your slab leak fixed with minimal damage to your property.

How to Fix a Slab Leak

There are several routes that can be taken for slab leak repair that may or may not involve foundation repair. Such strategies that can be employed are as follows:

• Pipe re-routing: A new pipe is laid out above the ground. This approach is an option to consider if only a short length of pipe has to be replaced.
• Re-Piping: If multiple leaks are involved, this option is frequently used. Re-piping can involve invasive cutting into the concrete slab and floors in order for the plumbers to access the pipe leak and install new piping.
• Pipe Relining: Pipe relining is a trenchless pipe repair solution that only requires two entry holes, one on both ends of the pipe. It’s an alternative to digging a trench to expose the buried pipe. Based on the size of the leak, a new liner can be pressed through a broken sewer pipe, covering breaks, and sealing all the leaks.

Have your slab leak repair in Chattanooga, TN handled by a professional who will be able to form a comprehensive plan on securing your property.