Signs & Symptoms

Slab leaks are a common problem in many homes. Slab leaks occur when water seeps through the soil and concrete slab foundation, usually due to faulty plumbing or inadequate waterproofing of the home’s foundation.

This blog post will provide you with information about some of the signs and symptoms that you may experience if you have a slab leak in your home.

How to Know If you Have Slab Leaks?

Sometimes evident leaks are easy to identify, and others are more difficult. Slab leaks, for example, can be quite challenging as they occur underneath the home’s concrete slabs.

However, knowing what you’re looking for helps make these types of water leaks easier to spot so that you can get them repaired before there is any significant damage. If you notice one or more of these slab leak symptoms, it may be time to contact a slab leak detection specialist.

A spike in your water bills

If you notice your water bill going up, it may be time to give a call. Slab leaks can cause the pressure in a home’s pipes to drop significantly. That means that more water consumption and less of it trickles through.

A sudden surge in your home’s water usage, barring any visitors or changes in routine, is an indication of a possible slab leak. If you see a sudden spike in your water meter or the sound of running water, keep an eye out for additional indicators. 

If your water is constantly running, it means your water heater is probably running constantly. While you may not hear the running water in your pipes, your water heater is harder to ignore.

A change in odor coming from under your house

Water has no smell without an organic contaminant like sewage or rotten food, so if you start noticing an unpleasant odor when walking around your basement floorboards, there could be something seriously wrong with your plumbing system underneath them. The water saturates the wood and creates a breeding ground for mold and mildew. The mold and mildew then create an unpleasant odor. 

It might not always point directly towards slab leak detection services, but the smell should at least get you thinking about potential causes for this unusual symptom.

Your toilet flushes too frequently.

If you’ve noticed that your toilet is constantly running or flushing very quickly, it could be time to call a slab leak detection service. These are such common symptoms because the water pressure in pipes has dropped significantly, and more drainage will result from this change in conditions.

Stains around sinks or other fixtures

You may not have realized before just how much water can seep through cracks in concrete slabs like yours until you start seeing signs of dampness on walls and floors all over your house—especially near plumbing sources like sinks and toilets. This wet area might give away slab leaks for good if they don’t dry up soon! Watch out for stains appearing within these areas, too, as mold spores grow easily where moisture exists long-term.

Hot spots on your floor

Slab leaks in a hot water line cause hot water to accumulate. This heat transfers into the surrounding flooring and environment.

If you notice odd hot spots on your floor, it could indicate that you leak your hot water pipe. In many cases, water from a slab leak can’t go anywhere but up. As a result, the water will eventually reach your flooring, which can then result in some significant damage. When hot water leaks out through the slab, this can cause the flooring directly above the leak to have warm spots.

Damaged water flooring

One symptom of a slab leak is damage to your water flooring. Slab leaks can cause stress in the concrete, so you should watch for cracks or buckles on your basement floor.

It could also be that there are gaps between the sheets where some moisture has been able to enter and create mold or mildew growths. If these types of symptoms exist, it’s important to contact an expert today!

Reduced Water Pressure

A sign of slab leak is reduced water pressure. Slab leaks can cause a decrease in the amount of water that comes through your faucet; if you notice this, it’s important to have your slab checked out right away for potential repairs!

Dampness on walls or floors

Stains appearing within these areas (mold spores)  Radon gas release for poor indoor air quality due to wet surfaces or stagnant moisture post-flooding. This also means that mold growth could be occurring where there was once drywall, too, like around ceiling corners. In some cases, radon gas might become trapped inside homes and other structures when groundwater seeps into basements.

How to detect leaks on a concrete slab?

Before your home’s concrete slab was poured, plumbing pipes were roughed in. As a result, many of your home’s main pipes and lines are actually located underneath your home.

Signs of a slab leak usually include wet patches on hardwood floors, soiled carpets or drywall in the basement, and even muddy footprints leading to and from the house.

Other indications may be water spots on ceilings that only show up at certain angles; curious dips in carpeting around your home’s foundation; peeling paint near exterior walls due to moisture coming into contact with it over time (a sign that you need waterproofing); cracks in concrete flooring throughout your home; damaged window frames or curtains hanging below windowsills because they are no longer suspended by air pressure as their usual height would dictate if there were no leaks beneath them. Also, if you notice hotspots on your floor, this can be a sign of a slab leak.  

Top plumbing emergencies so you are prepared when they happen to you, including toilet overflow, bused pipe, clogged sink, leaking faucet, sewer clog, water heater, or air conditioning malfunction.

Final Thoughts

You can usually tell if you have a water leak by the indicators listed above.  If you suspect your home has been subject to a slab leak, it’s best to call in professionals for an assessment of possible damage and solutions that will need to be implemented.

A leaking slab may not sound like serious plumbing repairs, but they are often more expensive than other types of structural water contamination because they require much larger-scale repairs. The sooner these warning signs, the easier (and cheaper) the long-term solution is going to be–so don’t delay!

Rescue remediation of your home's slab foundation as soon as possible!

If you see any of these signs and symptoms, it’s time to act fast before mold sets in or the leak worsen on its own and causes more water damage.

Call a slab leak detection service without delay so that a licensed plumber can find out where your problem is coming from for effective repair work that will last!     

 If you suspect a slab leak or another plumbing problem within your home, please give us a call.