Water damage is a very serious issue and one simple crack or leak if not taken care of immediately can turn into a very big problem, and to repair that problem you will have to pay a lot more than what you would have had to pay for the small leak or crack. And sometimes this small problem can escalate so much that you might have to opt for a whole house repiping, which is not only expensive but also a very long and tedious process. You may ask what exactly is re-piping? Well, every house has a plumbing system of its own and that is laid out underground that is under the foundation of your home, and repiping that entire plumbing system basically would mean to dig down through the house to change each and every pipeline that comes together to make your entire plumbing system of your house.
An underground slab leak or burst is one of the most common problems that can lead to issues like the repiping of the entire house. Underground slab leak or burst is nothing but a leak in the interior of the underground plumbing system. And this leak generally happens because of extensive use of the water pipe and also because of wear and tear. Although there can be a yet another reason for an underground slab leak or burst is that if you own a house that is almost thirty years or more old and it has never been re-piped since the hose has been made then there are high chances that the plumbing system of that house uses pipes that are no longer allowed by the US government because of multiple reasons which also include health issues. And if you have that problem then you should get your house re-piped as soon as possible and if you live in San Diego it will be way easier for you since there are many good plumbers Escondido, San Diego residents blindly rely on.
But now you may ask, how can we detect an underground slab leak or burst since we can not see anything? Well, this is the exact question that we are going to answer in this article. So, without further ado let’s look at some of the most common ways through which you can identify an underground slab leak or burst early on.
1. Wet spots
If you start finding random wet spots either on your floor or carpet and you know for a fact that it is not a water spill that has happened mistakenly, then you might have to get a professional plumber to check if there is any leakage in the plumbing system of your house. And if you live in Escondido, San Diego then it will be very easy for you to find a professional plumber, all you will have to do is type in ‘professional plumber Escondido’ and hundreds of options will be available to you. Then all you will have to do is choose the most reliable plumbing service that also has a good reputation among other customers to help you check if there is really a problem in your underground plumbing system of your house.
The main reason that causes the wet spots or the leakage in the underground slab is mostly because of hot water lines. Hot water lines as the name suggest carry hot water and because of its high temperature it causes erosion way faster than normal temperature water pipelines. So, if you ever spot wet spots in the house then it must be because the hot water pipeline has most probably broken or has been cracked which causes leaking.
2. Sound of water
If there are no visible signs and symptoms but you suddenly start hearing the sound of running water even though none of the water taps or fixtures are turned on in the house then it might be a very good sign that one of the pipes in your house’s underground plumbing system is broken and needs immediate repair. Never ignore this particular sign, that is if you ever start hearing the sounds of running water out of nowhere even though none of the taps are turned on and that is because the sound is so prominent because quite a bit of damage has already taken place and if you still ignore it and not take appropriate actions by calling a professional plumber to check things out then the problem may increase and go out of hand. And you might have to potentially be left with the only solution of repiping the entire house. So never disregard solid and prominent signs like these and wait for the last moment to get it fixed, because until then everything will go out of control.
3. Hiked water bills
If there are no visual or audible signs available but there is a sudden hike in your water bill and you cannot explain why the bills are so high, then you should highly consider seeking help from professional plumbers to check whether there are any leakage or a random water pipe burst in the underground slab of your house. And that is so because only a leak will lead to a sudden rise in the water bills.
4. Low water pressure
Other than the already stated sign, there is another sign that you should be aware of in order to detect a water pipe leakage early on and that sign is if your water pressure suddenly lowers. That is if you suddenly feel that the pressure at which the water used to come is not the same then there are chances that there is an underground water leak in your house. You can be sure that it is a sign because if there is a leak in the pipelines then the water is seeping through the leak and is not able to fully reach your water tap or fixture. Hence if you ever notice this particular sign then make sure to call a plumber to get it checked.
5. Cracks in the foundation
Last but not the least if you start noticing random cracks in the walls or ceiling of your house then know for a fact that there is a water leakage in your underground plumbing system. Because only water has the capacity to damage not only the foundation but also the structure of the house, hence always make sure to get it checked as soon as possible.
