What Is A Slab Leak?

What Is A Slab Leak?

Have you noticed strange puddles, high water bills or water damage on your walls? While these are annoying to deal with, there could be more problems bubbling below the surface. If you’ve noticed these strange puddles and changes around your house, you may be facing a foundation slab leak. Southern Air in central Louisiana is here to help you with foundation issues.

When you notice leaks coming from the ground up, there is a high possibility you have a slab leak. Slab leaks occur in pipes that run underneath the foundation of a building, and they can cause many problems within your house’s foundation. If you’re worried that you may have a slab leak, call your local HVAC and plumbing technicians as soon as possible. They will have answers to how you need to proceed and what to do if the situation has caused further damage to your house.

Why A Slab Leak Happens

Because of how deep these pipes are below your home, it can take quite a bit of time to pinpoint what causes them. Slab leaks can happen for a lot of different reasons — the most common is corrosion.

Corrosion of pipes underground is common, and it’s primarily due to age. Depending on the type of pipe that you have, the time it takes to corrode can vary widely. The most common pipe to corrode is galvanized steel pipes, which have one of the shortest lifespans underground.

Once this corrosion occurs and pipe material breaks down, leaks develop and eventually move upwards. This hurts the concrete’s integrity, causing puddles and water damage in multiple areas of your house.

How To Check For A Leak In Slab Concrete

Identifying a slab leak in a concrete foundation can be difficult. However, there are key signs that are giveaways to the presence of a leak. Look for signs such as:

• Water damage
• An unexpected increase in the water bill
• Wet spots on the floor
• Low water pressure
• Hot spots on the floor
• Cracks in the walls or floors

If you think you might have a slab leak, it’s best to call a professional as soon as possible. They have specialized equipment to confirm and locate a slab leak, and they will repair or replace the damaged pipe.

Why You Need To Schedule Slab Leak Repair

If a slab leak is left unrepaired, it can cause further damage to the area surrounding it. This damage can be long-term and costly, making it preferable to schedule a slab repair anytime you suspect a slab leak. Some types of damage you can see from neglecting a slab leak are:

• Water damage: Slab leaks can cause major water damage. As the water creeps into your home, it can lead to damage to your floor and ceilings and support the growth of mildew and mold.
• Structural damage: Slab leaks can cause structural damage due to their effects on your foundations. As the water decreases the integrity of the concrete, it can crack and shift the foundation of your house.
• Energy and water waste: Slab leaks can cause waste due to the amount of water and energy that is used while the leak is occurring. The presence of water in the home can affect the way that your heating and cooling systems read house temperatures, meaning they have to work harder. Slab leaks also cause a massive increase in water usage because the meter is reading the water that you’re losing in your leak.

Ultimately, it’s always a good choice to ask a professional to check for a slab leak. This will prevent further damage and ensure that it won’t get bigger in the future.

Call Today For Central Louisiana Slab Leak Repair!

Don’t let a slab leak ruin your home! Call Southern Air in central Louisiana today and schedule an appointment to have your slab leak professionally diagnosed and repaired. Our team of experienced plumbers are equipped to handle any slab leak issue and will work quickly to minimize the damage and get your home back to normal. Call us today and let us take care of your worst plumbing and HVAC problems!