What a slab leak is, and why it matters
A slab leak is a leak in a water supply line that runs through or beneath your home's concrete slab foundation. Because the water has nowhere obvious to go, it soaks into the soil under the slab, and over time it can erode the support your foundation sits on. Catching one early is the difference between a small repair and a much bigger project.
San Diego County homes are especially familiar with this problem. Our water is hard, which wears on copper pipes from the inside over the years, and many of our neighborhoods were built on slabs decades ago. It is not something to panic about, but it is something every homeowner should know the signs of.
What causes a slab leak
Most slab leaks we see come down to the same few culprits. Hard water slowly corrodes copper supply lines from the inside until a pinhole opens. Soil shifting and minor ground movement put stress on buried pipes. And in older slab-built homes, the original piping has simply been underground, working, for a long time.
- Copper pipe corrosion and pinhole leaks from hard water
- Soil movement and settling stressing buried lines
- High water pressure and thermal expansion wearing on pipes
The warning signs to watch
A slab leak rarely announces itself loudly, but it leaves clues. The most common we hear from homeowners are a water bill that jumps for no reason, warm or hot spots on the floor where a hot-water line is leaking, the sound of running water when every fixture is off, and new cracks or damp patches you cannot explain.
- A water bill that climbs with no change in how you use water
- Warm spots on the floor, or damp or cool areas with no obvious source
- The sound of running water when all fixtures and appliances are off
- New cracks in floors or walls, doors that stick, or reduced water pressure
How we find and fix it
We do not start by tearing up your floor. We use electronic leak detection and careful pressure testing to locate the leak before we touch anything, then we explain what we found and agree the price up front. Depending on the pipe, the fix may be a small access repair or rerouting the line to a better path, and we will tell you honestly which makes sense for your home.
If you suspect a slab leak, call us
The earlier a slab leak is found, the less it costs and the less disruption to your home. If you are in Chula Vista, La Mesa, El Cajon, Santee, or anywhere in San Diego County and you suspect a slab leak, call 619-600-3776 or request a quote. It is always free for a qualified technician to come out and take a look, and you get a straight answer and a clear price before any work begins.
Need a hand with any of this?
The family that does the work is one call away.
Drain cleaning, hydro jetting, sewer line repair and replacement, slab leak repair, whole-home repiping, leak repair, and water heater service and installation across San Diego County. Mention the $40 in-home drain special and we will work it into your quote, camera inspection included.