The term slab leaks is an industry term that homeowners dread to hear. Slab leaks occur under the concrete slab of a home. Though homeowners hate slab leaks, in some cases they are inevitable. These leaks occur when the pipes under the foundation of a home wear out overtime. These pipes can become corroded, brittle, and either crack or break. Slab leaks can catch a homeowner by surprise and if he or she is not observant the slab can cause the homeowner to lose a lot of money. Thankfully, there are a number of signs that can indicate that a slab leak has occurred. In the event that you have notices any of the below signs in your home be sure to reach out to a Dallas slab leak detection company to get the leak repaired.
Water Pools
Water pools are puddles of water that can accumulate outside or inside of the home. Water pools can form in many places throughout the home, but certain water pools are an indication of slab leaks. Water pools that form under the concrete escape from various places such as kitchen or bathroom floors or they can even spill out onto the ground surrounding the home.
Damp Floors
Sometimes water pools are not able to be seen because some areas are covered by carpet or hard flooring. Though the flooring may hide the water pools created by slab leaks, signs could still appear in the form of damp or warped flooring. Damp areas in the flooring could cause the flooring to look darker. If you have hard flooring, then the slab leak can cause your hard flooring to appear warped.
Water Pressure
Warped flooring or damp carpet areas sometimes can be easy to miss if you are too busy to notice. One thing that cannot be ignored or missed is decreased water pressure. A slab leak can cause a decrease in water pressure due to the water that is continually seeping through the corroded pipes. Decreased water pressure can cause faucets or showers to run water without force. These faucets or showers will flow softer and slower.
Increased Bills
Some people may contribute a decrease in water pressure to other situations in the home and as a result they do not connect the lowered pressure to a slab leak. And as a result, the slab leaks continue to do damage to the home. In addition to damaging the home a slab leaks can damage the homeowner’s pockets. A slab leak will cause water to flow continuously with no stop. Unfortunately, the homeowner will be responsible for the water that has freely flowed through the slab leak. It may take a month for the increase in the water bill to show up. When the increase does appear then it is usually in the form of a water bill spike. This is due to the fact that a leak can waste about ninety gallons of water a day. Ninety gallons of water wasted a month can double a household’s water bill. The average household uses about 80 to 90 gallons of water per day, which can calculate to about $70 per month. A slab leak can render a bill in the amount of $70 extra per month.