A slab leak can cause a lot of damage to your Phoenix home and is something you shouldn’t attempt to repair yourself. You may even be asking yourself, “What is a slab leak?”
Many homes in the greater Phoenix area are of “slab construction.” This means that the house is built on a slab of concrete sitting directly on the ground. The plumbing system is typically made of copper piping running under this concrete slab. Although copper piping is considered a top quality material, it can begin to leak. When it does it is referred to as a “slab leak.”
A lot of people are unaware of the signs of a slab leak, which often results in a longer time between the leak first taking place and the time of repairs. The best way to ensure a slab leak doesn’t go unnoticed in your home is to have one of our expert plumbers perform a general inspection of your plumbing system. Here are a few other things to keep an eye out for to help you determine if you need to give us a call.
A larger than normal water bill
Keep track of your usage from month to month and year to year. A noticeable change could be a sign of a leak.
The sound of running water
Have you ever noticed that when you are in one part of the house and someone is using water in another part of the house, you can sometimes hear the sound of water running through the pipes? Well, if you hear that sound and no one is using the water, it could be a sign of a leak.
Movement at the water meter
Next time you are leaving the house for a few hours, first make sure the dishwasher or washer are not in use. Next, check your water meter by lifting the faceplate and note the position of the indicators. When you return a few hours later see if the indicators have moved. If so, time to give us a call.
Hotspots on the floor
If you are walking across a hard floor (i.e., tile, wood, etc.) and suddenly feel an area that is noticeably warmer than the surrounding area or if there is a small room in your house (i.e., a laundry room, etc.) that seems excessively hot or humid, these are all strong indications of a potential slab leak. A slab leak in a hot water line will allow hot water to accumulate under the slab and will quickly transfer that heat and moisture into the surrounding floor and area.
Saturated ground around your house
If you are having a slab leak, eventually that water has to go somewhere. Walk the perimeter of your house. If you find an area where there is standing water, mud, or moss, the first step is to make sure that it is not simply a case of overwatering or a defective irrigation valve. If not, then you may have a slab leak.
All of these conditions could exist without there being a slab leak. Certainly, a slab leak could be ongoing without producing any of these symptoms. If you suspect that you’re having a leak of any kind, call Plumbing Masters at (602) 296-1127 to inspect your system. Our expert plumbers can quickly diagnose the situation and help you resolve the issue.
