Can You Detect a Slab Leak on Your Own? Here’s How

When water seeps out of pipes set into a concrete slab foundation, a slab leak happens. The location of the leak plays a crucial role.

The construction of the home also affects the leaks. Water might seep into the ground around the house. It could flood the basement too. Or it might intrude into the living areas.

The soil below the cement slab can settle and shift. This movement happens gradually over extended periods, much like an earthquake. Shifting causes increased ground pressure on pipes. This pressure can lead to ruptures or leaks. These issues affect the slab and the house.

Numerous things, like adjacent electrical equipment or improperly grounded systems, can cause electrical currents to leak into the ground. These errant currents can enter copper pipes and other metal pipes. This speeds up the process of electrolysis, which causes copper pipes to corrode. Depending on certain conditions, this corrosion may happen both within and beyond the pipe. Heat is not the main cause of corrosion, though it can contribute. Corrosion erodes the pipe over time, leading to leaks into the concrete slab.

The pressure from the slab and subterranean water pipes could harm the pipes. A slab leak in Orange County could result from these issues even though the pipes might not leak right away. Instead, they could deteriorate and explode over time.

Examine the affected area with great care. Inspect the baseboards or walls adjacent to the foundation for any evident signs of water damage or fractures in the flooring.

You can use a smartphone app made especially for leak detection, a stethoscope, or a plumber’s listening device. Put the listening machine on the ground and use it to hear any strange sounds coming from the water moving beneath the slab.

To perform a dye test, make sure all of your home’s faucets are closed and put off the supply of water. To the toilet tank, add some drops of food coloring, then let it sit for about fifteen minutes. If the color develops in the toilet tank without flushing, a slab leak may be the cause.

Overlooking a leak in the slab can lead to issues that hurt both your property and finances. Even in cases where you do not immediately observe an increase in your water bill, slab leaks eventually lead to other issues.

For instance, these leaks may result in widespread mold growth, which could harm the residents’ health. The foundation of your house may collapse as a result of the worst slab leaks. Hiring slab leak detection services in Orange County is a better choice. Fixing the problem yourself can reduce your house’s selling value. Doing repairs yourself may end up costing more.

Finding a slab leak in Orange County early on is imperative to save your house from severe damage. You can take prompt action by being aware of the common causes. Early detection helps preserve your home’s foundational stability and saves you money.

Act now to prevent a plumbing emergency!

Allow EZ Plumbing to identify and fix a slab leak in Orange County before it causes more harm.

Your water bill may have increased unexpectedly, and a leak is probably the cause. Where water escapes from a hidden pipe, it must find a way out through bulges or raised floor sections. Severe slab leaks frequently cause floors to warp, giving the appearance of a bulge or dome.

When searching beneath a slab or floor of concrete for a water leak, tracer gas may prove especially helpful. Gas molecules are smaller than water molecules. They easily pass through concrete and surfaces. They become visible to the naked eye. They can be detected with “sniffer” air testing equipment.

Your foundation will undoubtedly collapse if you ignore slab leaks. Your flooring may require additional costly repairs due to warping caused by the excessive moisture. Since it’s our job, we don’t anticipate homeowners to be experts on slab leaks.

Typically, a pipe leak takes a few weeks to months to cause noticeable damage before it is discovered.