Main Causes of Leaks in Slabs and Foundations
Slab and foundation leaks can be a homeowner's worst nightmare. Not only can they cause significant water damage, but they may also lead to structural issues and compromise the overall integrity of the home.
Unfortunately, concrete slab foundation leaks are not uncommon and can result from various factors. Some of the most common causes include:
- Settling/Shifting Slabs: Over time, concrete foundations can shift or crack, leading to pipe leaks due to erosion, expanding soil, and other factors.
- Copper Pinhole Leaks: These often occur due to low-quality copper pipes or chemical reactions in the water supply.
- Pipe Abrasion: Any movement in your pipes or slab can cause wear and tear over time. This issue is particularly common in copper piping.
- Old Plumbing: All plumbing systems have a limited lifespan. The older your plumbing, the more likely it is to fail due to natural wear and tear. This is one of the most common causes of slab leaks and often requires repiping.
For more details on these causes, refer to our article on Slab Leak Causes.
How Can I Tell If I Have a Slab Leak?
Detecting a slab leak can be tricky since the pipes are located beneath the home's foundation, making the problem difficult to identify.
However, there are a few signs homeowners can watch for to easily detect and repair a slab leak:
- Damp and Mold: Signs of mold or mildew can indicate water seeping through the foundation. Watch out for damp or discolored areas of the floor or carpet, and warm spots on the floor, which might be a sign of a break in your hot water line.
- Increased Water Use: If your water bill is unexpectedly high or your water meter continues running when all faucets and appliances are off, you may have a slab leak. However, this method may not detect smaller leaks.
- The Sound of Running Water: If you hear running water when no faucets or appliances are in use, and the sound persists even after turning off all water sources, it could be a sign of a slab leak.
If you suspect a slab leak, local detection companies use specialized equipment to locate even the smallest leaks.
Give us a call today, and we may be able to recommend a local leak detection company.
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With over 75,000 repipes completed, we've perfected our One-Stop Repipe™ for your home.
Temporary Slab Leak Repair Options
If a slab leak has been detected in your foundation, there are no quick or easy fixes.
When repairing a slab leak in your water pipes, there are two main options to consider:
- Replace the damaged pipes within your foundation, or
- Completely repipe home for a permanent fix.
The first option involves breaking open your concrete slab with a jackhammer to expose and access the leaking pipes. This method is both intrusive and expensive. In fact, we have seen quotes that often exceed the cost of a full home repipe.
We refer to this as a "temporary" solution because whatever caused the slab leak initially has a high chance of occurring again in another part of the slab.
Slab Leak Permanent Fix: A Complete Repipe
To permanently fix a slab leak in your foundation, a complete home repipe is the most cost-effective solution to prevent future leaks.
Many of our customers saw their neighbors deal with costly slab leak damage and chose to take preventive action before facing the same nightmare.
Our repipes completely bypass the need to cut into your concrete slab. Instead, we reroute all plumbing through walls, attics, and ceilings.
With this approach, you can rest assured that you won't have to deal with another slab leak—there will be no water pipes embedded in the concrete slab anymore. It also ensures the structural integrity of your home's foundation.
We have perfected our One Stop Repipe™ process and can typically complete a full home repipe in 1-2 days. Plus, all our repipes include a lifetime warranty to ensure your peace of mind.
How Much Will It Cost to Fix My Slab Leak?
At Repipe Specialists, most of our repipes range from $4,500 for a two-bedroom, one-bath house, and up to $15,000 for a much larger, more complicated job.
We often find that customers receive quotes for replacing sections of leaky pipes in slabs that far exceed the cost of our complete repipe services. You can find more details on repiping costs in our How Much Should A Repipe Cost article.
To help ease the burden of unexpected repiping expenses, we also offer financing options. Qualified customers can take advantage of zero down, zero interest for 12 months if paid in full.
A Repipe Specialists local estimator would be happy to explain all your options—either in person or through a remote consultation. Schedule a free repipe quote.
Get a Quote for Repiping Your Home
Here at Repipe Specialists, we've fully replaced the plumbing in over 75,000 homes since 1991 using both copper piping and PEX tubing. We continually get positive customer feedback from customers about their overall home repipe experiences. We often exceed their expectations on:
- Speed: Our repipe crews typically complete a repipe in a day, returning on another day for wall patching.
- Convenience: Through our One-Stop Repipe™ process, we handle everything from permits, to wall patching, to inspections.
- Cleanliness: Our crews are trained to protect your home while working (we cover all surfaces with protective sheeting), and to clean up fully at the end of each day.
- Peace of Mind: Repipe Specialists is a fully licensed plumber in every state we operate in, and we back all of our repipes with a lifetime warranty.
- Financing programs: To help take the sting out of unplanned repipe expenses, we offer several financing programs.
- Price: As a specialist that performs hundreds of repipes a week, we can deliver high-quality repipes at a lower cost vs generalist plumbers. We have an article that covers repipe cost factors in detail.
Schedule a free in-home consult, and one of our local repipe consultants will explain all your repipe options and provide you with a written, fixed-price quote.