What To Do About Slab Leaks

There are few things worse than a water leak, one that requires leak detection. And while it’s sometimes easy to dismiss that dripping as nothing serious, it’s best you take care of it as soon as possible. It could, for instance, be indicative of a bigger problem in your home’s water pipes, not to mention the fact that this will cause your water bill to shoot up.

Signs of a Water Leak

Before you call any leak detection services you need to know the signs of a leakage. Here are the most common signs:

• You have a plumbing leak if you hear water running even though nothing has been turned on. A good example of this is water running in the toilet even though you didn’t flush it.

• Your water meter reading keeps changing even if water isn’t being used. To check, mark the meter indicator and don’t use water for half an hour. If the indicator still moves, then there’s a leak.

• Your water bill keeps going up even though your water consumption doesn’t change.

• Another sign you need water pipe repair is when floors and walls have moist, spongy and wet areas. Often these areas are discolored as well. Take note of these areas especially if water doesn’t normally flow there.

• If the leaks are left un-repaired, foul odors will emanate near the drains, sewers, floors and walls.

The following are signs of slab leaks:

• Sound of running water even if all water sources are off

• A hot spot on the floor which probably indicates a leak in the water line

• Cracks on flooring and walls

• Excessive moisture or mildew under carpets is another sign that the slab has cracks

If you notice any of those signs, it’s time to call a leak specialist who’ll assess the problem and decide what method to use. Depending on the problem, it might require nothing more than a spot repair, which is usually the most cost efficient. If that doesn’t work, repipe or reroute might be used especially if the plumbing system is old. In addition to those, Epoxy pipe coating might be used whereby coating is applied in the plumbing. This is usually the technique applied in systems that have small leaks.

There are other signs of leaks, such as cracks in your home’s foundation or plants and vegetation now grow unevenly. In some cases you’ll also notice the presence of warm spots on the flooring, particularly concrete slab floors.

Benefits of Hiring a Leakage Detection Specialist

Rather than use trial and error methods to find the leak source, you should consider hiring a technician or plumber who’ll use electronic tools to find the source. This is a much more effective method and won’t result in unnecessary property damage.

In other words, the cost of hiring the technician will be less compared to tearing up walls or floors. By hiring a slab leak detection service leaks will be found and repaired quickly with very little disruption or damage to your property. In short, you could save thousands of dollars, not to mention several hours which you would have spent trying to look for the leak source.

Furthermore, today’s leakage services use non-invasive tools to detect leaks including sewer leakages, saving time and frustration.

What to Look for in Leakage Detection Services

The first thing you should do is check the company’s reputation. This isn’t difficult to do because if the service is good, they’ll be recommended by your friends and get positive feedback on the web. Second, make sure that their technicians are trained in leak detection.

Leakage detection might seem like a simple task, but the truth is technicians undergo rigorous training to ensure they are ready to work and know how to use the latest detection tools.

Furthermore, technicians are taught unique skills and receive special training in different areas.

For instance, some leakage service technicians will specialize in pool, fountain and spa leaks, while others in infrared detection. You will also find experts in plumbing leaks, utility line location, drains, sewer etc. Gone are the days when all you could do was call the local plumber and hope he knew what he was doing. Nowadays there are specialists who are capable of looking into specific problems and know exactly how to fix them.

In addition, you need to make certain that the service is using the latest detection equipment. After all that’s why you’re going to pay for their services, to ensure that the leak is found as quickly as possible with minimal disruption. To get your money’s worth, ask the company to give you a rundown of the equipment they use. You’ll get different answers, but what’s important is that they are non-destructive, non-invasive and accurate.

Importance of the Non-Invasive Approach

Pipe repair and detection of leaks no longer needs to be disruptive so even if the leak is behind a wall, within slabs, under flooring or below the drain sewer, that’s no excuse to cause damage. For this to work however, the service needs to have the experience and resources necessary to carry this task out. Another trademark of a successful leakage service is they never rest on their laurels and always developing new equipment and techniques to better serve you.

Cost Efficiency

Of course cost efficiency is important because you don’t want to end up paying too much for this service. It’s nice to get a noninvasive treatment for your leakage, but there’s no need to pay more than you should. One way to do this is to compare the prices of various leakage companies, and before you hire the services of any, explain what the problem is and how much it might cost.

Ultimately what all this means is that by hiring a professional leak detection service you’ll get peace of mind. Rather than try fixing it yourself and worry if you did it right, it’s better to hire a professional, have the leak fixed and sleep easy at night.