December 26, 2016

Signs That You Have a Slab Leak

Slab Leak Detection for Dallas Homeowners

Slab leaks are one of those plumbing problems that can create some serious problems for homeowners, especially if they remain undetected. A slab leak will cause a lot of water damage in a very short period of time. If you’ve never dealt with a slab leak before, you may not even know what slab leak symptoms to look for.

Signs That You Have a Slab Leak

Rising Water Bills. You should always monitor your home’s water bills from month to month. Though these bills will rise and fall with how much water you use, you should look for any unexplained spikes that may indicate a leak. If your water bills are much higher than they should be, it may be that you have a slab leak.

Water Meter. One easy way to tell if you have a leak in your system is to turn off all the plumbing appliances in your home and watch your water meter. If your water meter is still running, it means that you probably have a leak somewhere in your home. Call for plumbing repairs if you notice this.

You hear running water sounds. A slab leak can also be detected by simply listening with your ears. Sometimes, when water is leaking below the foundation, you can actually hear sounds of running water beneath the flooring. You may need a plumber to determine the exact location of the leak.

Unusually high water or heating bills. If you detect a sudden spike in your water or heating bill, it may be due to a slab leak. When your water and gas are running 24/7 to keep up the demand to heat the cold water coming into your house, both your gas and water bill will be higher than normal.

Water puddles along the outside of the house. If you notice water puddles along the side of the house, and it’s not the result of water hoses or a dog’s water bowl, take a closer look. Chances are the water leaks may be coming out of the cracks just below the surface of your house.

Constantly spinning meter dial. Checking the water meter can help determine if you have a cold or hot water slab leak. The water meter is normally located somewhere close to the curb in a box and in the ground. Take the lid off the box and look at the meter’s dial.

Slab leak symptoms

Puddles of water on the floor. A good indicator of a slab leak is when you see puddles of water coming from underneath the surface of your floor. When water leaks inside the house it will be coming out of walls, underneath cabinetry, or cracks in the tile.

Generally, this happens in areas in close proximity to plumbing, such as bathrooms, kitchen or the laundry room.

The water is coming from the slab, surfacing and finding the path of least resistance to come through the cracks. If you touch the water, and it’s hot, you’re dealing with a hot water slab leak, which is what homeowners will have 80 – 90% of the time when dealing with these types of leaks.

Hot floors. It’s a lot easier to determine if your floors are hot when you’re dealing with wood or tiled floors rather than carpet because there is no insulation. If you have a hot water slab leak, the temperature in the water heats up the concrete, which in turn heats up the tile.

Slab Leaks Signs Tips

Many times, when you have a slab leak, the water doesn’t surface, at least not for a while. The water is absorbed underneath the slab into the ground. Your slab leak symptoms are probably not going to be water coming through the ground.

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