Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Slab Leaks’

How Slab Leaks Get Started—And How to Find Them

Monday, October 17th, 2022
slab-leak-crack-in-foundation

If there are two words that have the most potential to strike fear in the hearts of California homeowners, it’s “slab leak.” Perhaps you know someone who’s had to deal with what can be an emotionally and financially draining home repair. 

Although slab leaks aren’t always preventable, as a proactive homeowner, knowing how slab leaks start—and how to find them—can help you catch them early. Read on to find out more about how slab leaks occur and, most importantly, how to detect them.

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The Problem With Slab Leaks

Friday, February 5th, 2016

Leaks of any kind are bad news when it comes to your plumbing. They often go unnoticed for a long period of time, until they cause extensive water damage that marks their presence. That is, unless there’s a large rupture, which is more noticeable but causes just as much damage in a much shorter period of time. Slab leaks, however, are quite possibly the worst kind of leaks you can deal with in your home. Read on to find out more about slab leaks, and how to deal with them.

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Signs that You Might Have a Slab Leak

Monday, September 7th, 2015

Slab leaks are one of the most damaging problems that can afflict a home’s plumbing. Unfortunately, they’re also one of the most difficult problems to detect and fix. The best way to protect against slab leaks is to keep an eye out for the signs that accompany them. The faster you can identify a warning sign that you have a slab leak, the faster you can have it repaired and the more damage you can prevent. Let’s take a look at some of the signs that you might have a slab leak.

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3 Causes of Slab Leaks

Friday, April 18th, 2014

Slab leaks are plumbing leaks that take place in a decidedly inconvenient spot: underneath the concrete slabs of your porch or home foundation. In the old days, they required a great deal of time and effort to fix, though technological advancement has cut down on the time and expense of such repairs. When it comes to plumbing repairs in Tustin, CA, there are a number of companies that can repair slab leaks, but are you sure you have the ones that can do the job? Here are 3 causes of slab leaks: the sort of thing that a quality service can hunt down with confidence and assurance.

  • Old or inferior piping
    Most plumbing in California is made of sturdy copper materials which should last a long time. In some cases, however, they can be made of inferior materials, and even the solid piping can wear down over the course of several decades. In these cases, the bad piping will need to be replaced if you want any repair job to last.
  • Hard or corrosive water
    We often experience problems with hard water in Tustin, brought about by a combination of desert atmosphere and our proximity to the sea. Metals like calcium and magnesium (as well as salt from the sea water) can get into our water system and while the city does a comparatively good job of clearing them out, a certain amount of hard water invariably gets through. Over time, this can corrode your piping, leading to a breach or leak beneath the concrete.
  • Earthquakes
    We get earthquakes all the time in Southern California, and while mild temblors are usually nothing to get concerned about, they can shift the ground around your piping: increasing pressure and friction, and often causing breaches. If you detect a drop in water pressure of similar sings of trouble after an earthquake, you may have a slab leak.

Detecting the causes of slab leaks is the first step a good plumbing service takes. The next is to fix it as quickly as possible while causing as little damage as possible to the home itself. In matters of plumbing, Tustin has a proven expert in Saddleback Plumbing. Give us a call today and let us take care of that slab leak for you!

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Plumbing Tip : When Something Goes Wrong

Monday, December 17th, 2012

Indoor plumbing is such a common luxury that we tend to not even think about the system and its many components that make life so convenient in Irvine. We expect to be able to open a faucet and get a steady supply of hot water. When we use the bathroom we expect the toilet to flush and the bathtub to drain away waste water. When something goes wrong with your plumbing in Irvine, though, you may find it difficult to stop thinking about the system that makes all of those conveniences possible. Whatever plumbing services you need, a professional, certified plumber from Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning can help.

Plumbing Installation

Whether you are remodeling or building a home or you need to replace a portion or your entire plumbing system, only a professional can handle the surface. A lot of fresh and waste water is moved throughout your home every day. These pipes are hidden in your walls and beneath your floors. The last thing you want to deal with is a problem in such inaccessible areas. Avoid water damage and schedule professional plumbing installation.

Video Pipe Inspection

Plumbing systems pose a number of challenges because so many potential problems can go unseen. A video pipe inspection allows us to take a look directly into your pipes. That way we can locate any problems and ensure that they are totally resolved. Call today to schedule service.

Slab Leaks

Few problems in your home have as much potential to do serious damage as a slab leak. These leaks occur beneath the concrete foundation of your home. They are difficult to notice, difficult to access and an all-around headache. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer for slab leaks in Irvine and how you can tell if there is a slab leak lurking below your home.

These are just a few of the exceptional plumbing services we offer. Our Irvine plumbers have the training and skills to handle any plumbing job you may need. Remember to call Saddleback for any services you need related to plumbing in Irvine.

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The Guide for Preventing Slab Leaks

Monday, December 3rd, 2012

The Mission Viejo plumbers are here to help whenever you have a slab leak in your home. We are fully trained and certified to quickly locate and repair all types of slab leaks. We can inspect any home’s plumbing system and slab for possible signs of a leak. We have the tools and experience to handle any leaking or faulty plumbing line before any further damage occurs.

However, there are steps to take to prevent slab leaks from occurring and damaging your home.

Slab Leak Detection and Prevention

Unlike leaks in other parts of your plumbing system, slab leaks are not always easy to spot. Basically, a slab leak means any type of leak underneath the slab foundation of your home. This is why it is important to detect it early and call a plumber as soon as you can.

Whether it’s a pinhole leak or burst pipe, the water may be dispersed to other areas away from the leak. It might also be dripping or leaking into the soil outside the slab. Call the Mission Viejo slab leak detection experts at Saddleback if you are experiencing any of these problems:

  • A sudden settling or movement in your slab foundation
  • A drop in water pressure
  • An unexpected increase in your water bill
  • Puddles or consistently damp areas outside around the slab
  • Damp spots on the floors

The best way to prevent slab leaks is with routine maintenance for your entire plumbing system. Regular drain cleaning will also help. At Saddleback, we have the trained, certified staff to handle all your slab leak prevention and detection needs.

Why Call As Soon As Possible for a Slab Leak Repair

A slab leak can cause a lot of damage to your home and property. If you suspect you have one, or if you’re concerned about the condition of the pipes in home, give us a call. We’ll inspect the slab and give you an honest and accurate estimate of the cost of any repairs.

We can also give you specific recommendations for maintenance and preventive care that might help you avoid a sudden break or leak. Call the Mission Viejo plumbers at Saddleback as soon as you suspect a slab leak, contact Saddleback today!

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A Question from Huntington Beach: What Is a Slab Leak and What Damage Can It Cause?

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Also known as a foundation leak, slab leaks can cause a serious problem in your Huntington Beach home. A typical cause of a slab leak occurs when the foundation for the home is poured. While the cement is still wet and setting, copper pipe is laid in to run wherever it needs to go for the plumbing system of the home. This is a fairly common practice.

The problem occurs when the copper piping is soft. As the cement hardens, any kinks, bends, nicks or other imperfections in the pipe are exacerbated. Over time, these problems can become more and more magnified, eventually resulting in one or more tiny leaks in the pipe. This causes water to leak directly into the concrete foundation.

This causes a number of problems for homeowners, both short-term and long-term. In the short-term, it reduces water pressure and increases water consumption, resulting in higher monthly bills for poorer water delivery. These are inconveniences and annoyances, but nothing compared to the long-term damage that a slab leak can cause.

The moisture in the foundation becomes a breeding ground for mold. This mold can spread throughout the foundation and the house, which is a serious health risk for you and your family. Mold and mildew spores negatively impact air quality and can lead to illness. Plus, the moisture weakens the foundation gradually over time. Eventually, you have a home that is less structurally sound and may succumb to mold, which can cause thousands of dollars to eradicate and repair.

Slab leaks can be repaired, but sometimes after repairing one, another will crop up shortly thereafter. However, they still must be repaired immediately before the problem spreads and becomes too big to handle.

There are a few different methods for repair, including breaking up the foundation with a jackhammer and laying new pipe or lining the existing pipe with epoxy. Consulting with a professional is the best way to figure out which method is right for you.

Common symptoms to detect slab leaks early are reduced water pressure or inexplicably high water bills. If you notice either of these occurring in your home, you may have a slab leak, so call a professional to get it checked out right away before it leads to much bigger problems.

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