What happens when you build a house of cards and take a few cards out from the bottom? The whole tower collapses. This is a good representation of what having a slab leak is like in your home. An important aspect of slab leaks is that they are a silent terror. The signs and symptoms of a slab leak might go undetected until catastrophic damage has already been done.
The best thing you can do to prevent a slab leak is to ensure your underground plumbing is up to date. For older homes, this is absolutely necessary. Old, copper pipes corrode much sooner than materials used today in underground plumbing. The next best thing to do when you have a slab leak is to know the signs so you can get immediate assistance from Blue Star. Here’s everything you need to know about a slab leak.
What Is a Slab Leak?
Homes with a concrete foundation have pipes that run underneath the concrete. A slab leak occurs when one of the pipes underneath your foundation springs a leak. As usual, leaks in this area can be large or small, so it’s always critical you take action as soon as you notice a slab leak.
Aside from old pipes, there are a few reasons you could have a slab leak:
- The ground around your foundation shifts due to an earthquake, soil erosion, or gradual movement over time.
- Poorly laid foundation in a new home.
- Warm water pipes expand as the water moves through them, which can cause friction and corrosion as pipes run together.
- Poor water quality can cause corrosion because of the number of minerals degrading the pipes.
The first sign of an issue might be regarding your water bill. Let’s take a look at notable signs of a slab leak.
The Problem with Slab Leaks
Slab leaks are silent but deadly. Always monitor your water bill for sudden, unexpected increases, even if the jump isn’t that large. Other signs to look out for include the following:
- Unusually warm spots on your flooring
- Low water pressure
- Signs of mold around your floors
- The sound of running water without any faucets on
- Patches of wet floor
As you might expect, these are pretty serious ramifications. In addition to severe damage to your home, the occurrence of a slab leak can lead to health problems. Mold damages homes and respiratory systems of all wo are exposed.
Plus, the longer slab leaks go unaddressed, the more damage to the foundation of the home they cause. Remember the house of cards analogy? Ignoring slab leaks will certainly lead to the collapse of your foundation. Additional expensive repairs might include your flooring, which can become warped from the excess moisture.
We don’t expect homeowners to know everything about slab leaks because that’s our job. Once you can identify certain issues, we can take it from there. Our team has the technology and knowledge to keep you and your home safe from harm. Just call Blue Star for peace of mind from slab leaks.