An undetected water leak can spell disaster for homeowners. Finding the problem early can mitigate water leak damage, both to your home’s structure and to your wallet. A leak can be difficult to locate, especially in the early stages. Here’s what to look for when diagnosing a water leak under your home’s concrete slab foundation.
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Initial Signs of a Water Leak
The very first sign you may see when your home’s plumbing is leaking is an increased water bill. If you also notice an accompanying spike in your gas or electric bill (whichever powers your water heater,) you may be dealing with a leak in a hot water line. Other signs you may find include:
- The sound of running water, even when no faucets are on in your home.
- The water meter is running faster than normal.
- The water heater kicks on more frequently (hot water leaks only.)
- You feel warm spots in the floor (hot water leaks only.)
- Pesky insects become more of a problem than usual.
- You feel flooring areas that are soft or spongy when you step on them.
- Unexplained wet spots show up on the floor.
- Your walls and/or floors have new or worsening cracks.
Even when you look for these signs, they may be tough to spot, as finding the signs of a leak doesn’t mean you’ve found the source. Water can travel all the way from one end of the house to the other before it starts making a mess of things, so finding where the leak originated may require assistance from a plumbing professional.
Tracking Down the Leak
Finding a leak in your home’s slab foundation may require specialized tools and knowledge, even if it seems fairly obvious where the leak is located. Think you should fix it yourself? Every step of the DIY slab leak repair process offers chances for mistakes, making finding and repairing water leaks a risky endeavor homeowners.
At Ace Home Services, we have plumbing professionals standing by to help you if your home’s sprung a leak. As a recognized leader in water leak repair and plumbing services, we’re proud to have served the Phoenix area for over 20 years. Contact us today for a free estimate.