Slab Leaks: What Causes Them & How To Repair Them
If you want to get rid of a slab leak, you should find out the cause of the problem first. It is important to identify the source of the leak before repairing it. To prevent further damage, you should also take care of the issue at its early stage.
Slab leaks can occur due to several reasons. They can be caused by water seepage or even by faulty plumbing systems. In other words, slab leaks vary from house to house. You should call a California repiping plumber as soon as possible to get an efficient solution.
But, what to expect from a repiping plumber? Is it possible to DIY a slab leak repair? Keep reading below to find out.
Learning The Basics Of Slab Leak Repair
Many houses in Arizona have copper water lines. If your house was plumbed with copper lines and you have a concrete slab as the foundation, then the copper pipes may be running underneath the foundation.
Fixing these pipes is challenging because they are not as accessible as other piping lines. Therefore, you may not be able to DIY a slab leak repair, but you can learn more about the four most common types of fixtures: jack-hammering, tunnel-digging, re-routing through the attic, and passing-trough old lines.
Read on to learn more about each method!
Jack-Hammering The Leaking Pipe
It is necessary to locate the exact source of the problem to fix a leak. You can damage your home or strike the concrete several times with a hammer if you miss your target.
Professionals use different tools to pinpoint the leak under all the dirt and concrete. One of them is a tracing instrument to locate the path that the copper line runs under the slab. They can also use different types of listening equipment and infrared thermometers. The Chula Vista repiping plumber uses these instruments to catch hot spots from a leak on hot water lines.
Once the plumber decides where the pipe is located, they demolish the floor and concrete with a jackhammer. Then, they excavate the area until the pipe is accessible.
Sometimes, this is the best way to fix pipes that are leaking. However, it will require ripping up your floor. Plus, it only repairs one leaking spot.
Even with the best equipment and skill, there is no guarantee that you will find a leak on the first attempt by using this technique.
Tunnel-Digging The Leak Source
Digging a tunnel is one of the least invasive methods to repair a slab leak. The expert will pinpoint the leak just as they do when jack-hammering through the slab.
Once the plumber locates the source of the leak, they dig an access pit about 3 feet deep. After that, the plumber excavates horizontally under the slab until reaching the location of the repair.
As you can guess, it can be a very time-consuming process, and repiping experts usually do it together with a crew. There are no heavy tools suited for this task.
We insist that only a qualified Fountain Valley repiping plumber can do this job.
Re-Routing The Pipes
Re-routing through the attic is another useful method. It is based on discovering which line is leaking under the slab and where the ends appear above.
Once the new line is in place, the plumber abandons the old copper line under the slab, and a new line is run from Point A to Point B through the walls and the attic.
Plumbers use different tools, equipment, and methods to locate the source of the leak. One way to simplify the search for leaks is to check at points where multiple copper pipes connect in the wall. These points are called manifolds.
Plumbers use special testing types of equipment to find the manifolds. Once the manifolds are exposed, pressure testing is crucial to determine which line is leaking.
Re-routing is an excellent solution because it eliminates the entire line and prevents future leaks. Cutting open the wall is a bit of a hassle, but it’s not too bad. In most cases, it is the best method for repairing a slab leak.
Passing-Through Old Lines
Another way to repair a slab leak is to do a pass-through. It is similar to the re-route approach in that the Lakewood repiping plumber still eradicates the entire leaking line.
Once the plumber identifies “Point A” and “Point B” of the leaking line, a new, smaller line can pass through the old copper line by using it as a sleeve.
When the plumber runs the line through from end to end, they can reconnect it to restore the water.
The only disadvantage of this technique is the reduction of line diameter.
Get In Touch With A California Repiping Plumber
Are you stressed about a slab leak at home? Give Integrity Repipe a call! Our team of experts will analyze your situation and help you determine the next steps.
Published by – Integrity Repipe Inc
Integrity Repipe Inc – Mission Viejo, CA
27281 Las Ramblas, Suite 200
Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Phone: 877-473-7473
Website: integrityrepipe.com
Integrity Repipe Inc – San Clemente, CA
927 Calle Negocio Suite O
San Clemente, CA 92673
Phone: 949-397-2404
Website: integrityrepipe.com/san-clemente
Integrity Repipe Inc – Long Beach, CA
2201 N Lakewood Blvd, Ste D #297
Long Beach, CA 90815
Phone: 562-362-5040
Website: integrityrepipe.com/long-beach
Integrity Repipe Inc – Chula Vista, CA
591 Telegraph Canyon Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
Phone: 619-313-5744
Website: integrityrepipe.com/chula-vista
Integrity Repipe Inc – Ladera Ranch, CA
27762 Antonio Parkway L1
Ladera Ranch, CA 92694
Phone: 949-397-2795
Website: integrityrepipe.com/ladera-ranch
Integrity Repipe Inc – Lakeside, CA
8337 Winter Gardens Boulevard
Lakeside, CA 92040
Phone: 619-494-3507
Website: integrityrepipe.com/lakeside
Integrity Repipe Inc – Aliso Viejo, CA
27068 La Paz Rd #771
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656
Phone: 949-449-1142
Website: integrityrepiping.com/aliso-viejo-repipe-copper-pex-ca
Integrity Repipe Inc – Oceanside, CA
1759 Oceanside Blvd C,
Oceanside, CA 92054
Phone: 442-300-3057
Website: integrityrepiping.com/oceanside-repipe-copper-pex
Integrity Repipe Inc – Porter Ranch, CA
19360 Rinaldi
Porter Ranch, CA 91326
Phone: 818-630-9265
Website: integrityrepiping.com/porter-ranch/
