A slab leak occurs when water leaks below the foundation of your home. This discharge of water can do a lot of damage without you knowing about it. If the leak isn’t repaired, it can cause significant structural and mold damage to your home. Knowing some early warning signs can help you identify and fix the problem before damage occurs.
We often get questions from customers who call into the office. Many times, their situations can be tell-tale signs of a slab leak. Let’s look at six of them.
- My water bill shows I’m using a lot more water than before. We haven’t changed the way we use water. We even went on vacation last month. But, the water bill is higher than ever. Is it leak under the slab or something else?
If your water bill is skyrocketing, but you can’t determine why it’s happening, you may have a hidden leak. A leak beneath the slab often starts out small and barely detectable on your water usage. However, if it isn’t detected and fixed, it will grow larger. That’s when you see the huge water bills.
Get a plumber out right away to find the leak and get it fixed.
- I’ve got mold growing on my living room wall and on the carpet. I can’t find leaking water inside the house. Could a hidden leak be the culprit?
If there’s a leak down below, it can undermine and crack the foundation. This provides an opening for moisture to get inside the house. Soft materials like carpet and into dry materials like drywall absorb this moisture. When these materials get wet, they provide ideal conditions for mold and mildew to grow.
When you have unexplained mold or mildew growth, get a professional out to check for a leak. You need to find the source and get it fixed, then clean the mold and mildew away. If left unchecked, the growth of these organisms can cause breathing difficulties.
- My home’s water pressure has dropped significantly. We don’t have good flow anywhere in the house. However, the upper floor is the worst. What could be causing this issue?
A leak in your water main is the likely suspect. If a significant amount of water is escaping before it reaches the house, you will see a major drop in water pressure. If it comes in under your slab, the leak can be hidden by the foundation. Check the area between where it goes under the slab and where it emerges for new cracks or pooling moisture.
If you suspect you have a water main leak anywhere, get a plumbing contractor out for an inspection right away.
- In the past couple of weeks, we’ve had an unpleasant, musty odor in the house. We don’t have any mold growing anywhere we can see. Is this a potential leak I can’t see?
Mold growth can occur in inaccessible places. It may be under a hardwood floor. It could be in the recess beneath a bathtub or cabinet. You may have mold growth inside the wall instead of outside.
If you can’t find the source of the musty smell, have a plumber do an inspection. You may have a leak under the slab or in another hidden spot.
- I hear the sound of running water occasionally, but most often during the night. I’ve made sure the fixtures were off and even turned the water heater off for a bit. I still hear it. Where could the sound be coming from?
When a small leak occurs beneath the slab, it can give off a hissing sound as pressurized water escapes. When the leak gets bigger, that hissing sound turns into the sound of running water. If you can’t find the source of that sound, you need to call in the professionals.
- Water is pooling on one side of my home. We haven’t had rain recently and there’s no faucet or hose nearby. Could it be a slab leak?
As water escapes a pipe under the slab, it needs to go someplace. After eroding away the surrounding soil, the water will come out from under the slab. If the area is sloped towards the foundation, it can cause the water to pool.
Get a plumber out to check for a hidden leak. The faster you get it fixed, the less damage you are going to need to repair.
Slab leaks can cause a lot of damage if they aren’t identified and repaired promptly. If you see any of these signs of a slab leak, give us a call right away.
