My Drain Company Blog : Posts Tagged ‘Slab Leak Repair’

How Do I Know I Have a Slab Leak?

Monday, October 26th, 2015

Slab leaks are one of the more significant problems that can afflict the plumbing in a home. These are leaks that occur down in a house’s foundation, usually under a few layers of concrete in either the hot or cold water lines. (80% of slab leaks happen in the hot water lines.) Slab leaks will not only create immense water waste, they can also cause damage to the house and even lead to flooding down in subfloors and crawlspaces. If you believe that your home has a slab leak, you must call for repairs from professionals as soon as you can.

(more…)

Signs You Have a Slab Leak

Friday, January 9th, 2015

Many homes are built on what is known as a slab – a concrete block that serves as the foundation for the whole house. It isn’t unusual for certain piping, including your main water line, to be embedded in this cement for protection. However, cracks can develop with the piping, usually due to poor installation or damage, and these cracks can create a leak inside your slab – aka, a slab leak. It isn’t all that easy to spot a leak inside a block of cement, so to help you, the experts at My Drain Company have put together a small list of signs that can indicate you have a slab leak.

Constant Sound of Running Water

Unless you have a stream on your property, you don’t want to hear the sound of constantly running water while you are in your home. This does not include the sounds of water running from a tap or faucet; instead, this would be a trickling sound coming from an unknown location. If you are hearing this sound, and can’t locate its origin, call an expert for help.

Significant Drop in Water Pressure

If you have noticed a uniform drop in water pressure throughout your home, and have no other plumbing issues of which you are aware, there is a chance it could be a slab leak.

Significant Increase in Water Bill

Seeing a large increase in your water bill when you haven’t changed your level of water usage is usually indicative of a leak somewhere; let an expert determine where the leak is so a plan can be made for repair.

Foundation Shifts

If the leak has been there long enough, or is big enough, it can cause shifting in your foundation. This is because the soil beneath the slab is wet and unstable and as a result of the weight from your home, is causing the concrete to shift and even crack. This is a serious problem and should be handled immediately.

Slab leaks are serious business; allowing one to continue can cause tremendous water waste and even damage to your home’s foundation. If you are seeing the signs of a slab leak, call My Drain Company today and schedule an appointment for slab leak repair in Glendale.

What Slab Leak Repair Is and Why You May Need It

Friday, June 20th, 2014

You may have heard the term “slab leak” before and not understood exactly what it meant, except that it sounds like it would take a great deal of difficult work to fix and you don’t want one to happen in your home. You’re right on both counts (you don’t want any kind of leaks in your home) but with the right plumbers on the job, you can expect to have a slab leak fixed fast and correctly so it won’t threaten the rest of your property or plumbing.

Slab leaks, as we’ll explain, are serious business. The moment you think you have one in your home, you need to call the professionals at My Drain Company. When it comes to plumbing in Glendale, CA, we are one of the most experienced full-service contractors. Our plumbers can handle jobs large and small, from solving a household leak to handling commercial installation.

What slab leaks are

The term “slab leak” is the plumbing industry name for any pipe leak that occurs under concrete or other hardscape material in a building. Your home’s foundation is a large concrete block, and a number of important pipes, such as the water main, run through it. Although well-protected from damage because of the hard casing, these pipes can still break due to corrosion (especially for older plumbing), the house shifting, or (and this is a serious concern for Southern California) earthquakes.

A slab leak not only wastes immense amount of water, it can inflict serious damage to a home’s foundation as it increases pressure within the slab.

How will I know I have a slab leak?

The first sign of a slab leak you may notice is a sudden elevation in your water bills for which you cannot account. Other indicators are the appearance of cracks along your home’s foundation due to water pressure, the faint sound of running water, and unusual warm spots across the concrete slabs of your home. Call for plumbers the moment you encounter any of these warning signs.

How does slab leak repair work?

Not all slab leak repairs work the same way. Skilled plumbers will use leak detection equipment to pinpoint the leak location and determine the best way to repair the problem. Sometimes the plumbers will need to use jackhammers to access the leak, and then fill the hole in afterwards. Other times, the leak can be repaired through additives placed into the plumbing that will seal the leak from inside. Regardless of the method used, professional plumbers will make every effort to leave your home looking exactly as they found it.

For the fast and effective plumbing services in Glendale, CA that will take care of any leak your home may have, trust to the 24-hour service of My Drain Company.