Finding a leak under a slab home is the not news any homeowner wants to receive. In the past, breaking up the slab and removing it until the leak was located was the only option. Fortunately, modern technology has made this practice outdated and unnecessary. If you suspect a leak in your slab home’s plumbing in Fort Worth, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a call for leak detection and slab leak repair.
You may first suspect a water leak when an unusually high water bill arrives. However, sewer leaks may go undetected for years. The type of soil beneath the home can play a part in leaks. When a slab leak occurs in expansive soil, such as clay, the soil will expand as it absorbs the moisture. This can result in raised dome or sunken areas of the floor. In addition, you may notice cracks, discolored flooring, or even the pooling of water when leaks occur in the home’s plumbing in Fort Worth.
A leak can result in serious damage to the home and its foundation. If you have a leak, or suspect one, stop further damage by contacting us today for professional repair of your home’s plumbing in Fort Worth.
The Signs of a Slab Leak
When a homeowner suspects a slab leak, a little detective work may help to locate it. When an unexplained elevation in the water bill occurs, most homeowner’s will check for drippy faucets, running toilets, leaking showers and the hoses supplying appliances such as the washer, icemaker, or dishwasher.
Use braided stainless hoses to provide reliable supply lines to appliances, and reduce the incidence of leaks. Furthermore, to verify a toilet leak, put a small amount of food coloring in the tank. If the color appears in the bowl the toilet tank is leaking, and needs repair by a plumber in Fort Worth. Remember the outdoor faucets. Place a bucket under faucets to monitor for a slow leak. Recheck in an hour, if water has collected, a leak is present.
When these do not reveal a potential source of the elevated water bill, it is time to inspect for signs of a slab leak. This begins with a water meter test.
Water Meter Test
The water meter test can reveal a leak in your home’s plumbing in Fort Worth, and is a simple way to verify leaks:
1. Ensure family members understand not to use any water at all, and turn off ice makers, washers, sprinklers, and dishwashers. Providing the test when no one else is home is the simplest way to ensure no water is used.
2. Write down the numbers on the meter. If you require assistance, contact your water provider for instructions.
3. Recheck the meter in 30 minutes to 1 hour. If there is a change in the numbers, you have a leak.
Signs of a Slab Leak
• Warm spots on the floor indicate a hot water leak under the slab. The lack of warm spots does not exclude a leak, as some flooring types transmit heat better than others do.
• Cracked or damaged tile may indicate a leak, especially if discoloration is present. Hardwood, vinyl tile, or vinyl flooring may also experience discoloration due to a leak.
• Warped floors with raised or sunken areas may indicate a leak, and the potential for severe damage to the home’s foundation.
• Cracks on the interior, or exterior wall indicates a shifting foundation, potentially due to a severe or long-term leak. These signs can also be due to settling of the foundation. A licensed, professional plumber can determine if the cause is due to a slab leak in the home’s plumbing in Fort Worth.
• Stained, and/or wet shoe molding or drywall.
• Damaged or peeling paint.
• The presence of water, ensure you check under the water heater and around other plumbing intrusions where water can seep around pipes.
Slab Leak Detection
A Benjamin Franklin Plumbing plumber in Fort Worth will identify and locate any water line leaks in your plumbing in Fort Worth with advanced slab leak detection. A skilled plumber can often locate and repair a slab leak with no damage to the home’s flooring. Ensure you hire a qualified plumber for slab leak detection before the job is started. A plumber with expertise will provide a professional repair without excessive and unnecessary destruction and costly restoration. For service you can trust, contact us for repair of your plumbing in Fort Worth.
Sewer Leak Detection
Advanced video pipe inspection is typically utilized for sewer leak detection. Video pipe inspection uses a high resolution, and waterproof camera attached to a flexible fiber optic cable, and displays a real time image on a monitor. The plumber can literally view the inside of drains and sewer pipes, preventing the need to break up the slab for the location of leaks. The equipment allows the plumber to identify the problem, and precisely locate the leak. This can potentially save you thousands of dollars on repairs to the foundation, and your home’s plumbing in Fort Worth.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing specializes in leak detection and slab leak repair . Our certified, licensed plumbers provide a broad range of residential and commercial plumbing services. Our family owned company practices plumbing with integrity, and expertise. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Fort Worth offers plumbers you can rely upon for first quality, professional plumbing in Fort Worth. We serve Fort Worth, Arlington and the surrounding areas, and are a member of the BBB with an A+ rating.