Slab leak detection and repair
The signs
A slab leak usually shows up in the bill or the floor before it shows up as a puddle. Here is what to watch for.
A water bill that jumped with no change in use
If nobody changed anything and the bill climbed, water is going somewhere it should not. A leak under the slab is one of the first things to check.
A warm spot on the floor
A hot-side leak warms the concrete above it. A warm patch of floor with nothing running is a strong sign the hot line is leaking underneath.
The sound of running water with everything off
If you can hear water moving and every faucet in the house is closed, the water is moving through a leak.
Unexplained damp in the flooring
Flooring that stays damp, warps, or darkens for no reason can be water wicking up from below.
A foundation that has started moving
Water under a slab can wash out the soil beneath it. If doors stop latching or cracks open up, a leak is one of the things to rule out.
The meter test - free, and anyone can do it
Turn off every faucet, the dishwasher, the washing machine, the ice maker, and anything else that uses water. Go out to the meter and look at the leak indicator, which is usually a small triangle or a dial. If it is still turning with everything in the house off, water is moving through a leak somewhere between the meter and the house. That is reason enough to call.
Where slab leaks come from
The water lines under your slab are pressurised. A leak is a hole or a split in one of those lines, and the water pushes out of it around the clock.
There is a difference between a hot-side leak and a cold-side leak. A hot-side leak is often easier to find because the water is warm and the floor above it is too. A cold-side leak can run quietly for a long time before anybody notices, which is why the bill is so often the first sign.
Pipe material and age change the odds. Older homes were plumbed with materials that do not last forever, and the longer a line has been in the ground under a slab, the more likely a pinhole or a split is to develop. Newer pipe holds up better, but no material is immune to a bad joint or a shift in the ground.
Finding it
Locating a slab leak is the diagnostic, which starts at $125. Jacob narrows down which line is leaking and roughly where it is under the slab, using the tools that find pressure loss and the sound of water escaping the pipe. The point is to know where to dig before anybody picks up a shovel.
Guessing is the expensive option. Breaking concrete in the wrong spot costs money and fixes nothing. The diagnostic exists so the first hole is in the right place. On a complex job that takes an hour or more to locate, the diagnostic can run higher than $125.
The three ways to fix it
Once the leak is found, the fix falls into one of three options. Each has a place it makes sense.
Spot repair through the slab
Break through the concrete at the leak, fix that section of pipe, and patch the floor. It is the smallest fix and makes sense when the rest of the line is in good shape. The trade-off is the concrete work and the floor on top of it.
Re-routing the line overhead or around
Abandon the leaking section under the slab and run a new line through the attic or around the outside of the house. No concrete gets broken. It makes sense when the line is still sound except for the one spot, and it costs less than a full repipe.
Repiping the house
Replace the water lines through the whole home. It makes sense when the pipe that leaked is the same age and material as the rest, because one leak is often a sign of more to come. It costs more up front but ends the problem instead of chasing it.
Jacob lays out which one fits your house and the honest numbers for each. The real price comes from the free on-site estimate.
The foundation question
JK Ranch does the plumbing. Jacob finds the leak, fixes the pipe, and leaves the water side of it right. What JK Ranch does not do is foundation repair or structural engineering. If there is a structural concern with the slab, you need a foundation engineer, not a plumber.
A leak left running under a slab is worth taking seriously for reasons beyond the water bill. Water moving under concrete can affect the ground beneath it over time. It is not a reason to panic, but it is a reason to get it found and fixed rather than let it run.
Insurance
Many policies treat the resulting water damage differently from the pipe repair itself. What is covered depends on your policy and on the cause of the leak. JK Ranch cannot tell you what your policy covers or does not. Call your carrier and ask before you assume anything either way.
Permits
Inside city limits, slab leak repair normally requires a plumbing permit, and JK Ranch pulls it. Out in the unincorporated county, there is usually no permit and no inspection at all, which is exactly why the licensed plumber is the only check on the work.
Slab leak questions
How much does it cost to find a slab leak?
The diagnostic to locate a hidden leak under a slab starts at $125. On a complex job that takes an hour or more to locate, it can run higher. Coming out and looking at something visible is free. There is no minimum charge.
Can you fix it without breaking the floor?
Sometimes. If the leak is in one spot and the line is in good shape otherwise, a re-route overhead or around the slab can avoid breaking the floor. If the line is failing in more than one place, breaking through or repiping is usually the honest answer. Jacob tells you which before any work starts.
What is a re-route?
A re-route abandons the leaking section of pipe under the slab and runs a new line overhead through the attic or around the outside of the house instead. It avoids breaking concrete, but it only makes sense when the rest of the line is still sound.
Should I repipe instead?
If the pipe under the slab is the same age and material as the rest of the water lines in the house, one leak is often a sign of more to come. In that case a whole-house repipe can be the better spend than chasing leaks one at a time. Jacob lays out the numbers either way.
Will my insurance pay?
It depends on your policy and the cause. Many policies treat the water damage differently from the pipe repair itself. Call your carrier and ask before you assume anything either way. JK Ranch cannot tell you what your policy covers.
How urgent is this?
Worth taking seriously. Water running under a slab wastes money on the bill, and a leak left going can affect the ground under the foundation. It is not a reason to panic, but it is not something to put off either. Shut the water off if you can and call.
Get on the schedule
(979) 206-0888Call and you get Jacob. Or send a request and he will call you back.
Think you have a slab leak?
Call Jacob. He'll talk you through the meter test if you have not done it, and give you an honest arrival window on the phone. The diagnostic to locate the leak starts at $125. Free estimates on any job.
Monday to Saturday, 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM. Closed Sunday. After-hours and Saturday calls carry a $75 non-refundable service fee.