Slab Leak Repair

Some people are dead set on having homes with crawl spaces or basements for one solitary reason: to avoid slab leak repair. A leak located underneath a poured foundation must be repaired or it can cause extensive damage. So what is involved in slab leak repair?

Slab Leak Repair – How a Plumber Fixes a Leak Under Concrete

If you know nothing about plumbing, your first course of action would be to contact a licensed qualified plumber in the Phoenix Arizona area such as Eagle Services. They can confirm if you are in fact in need of slab leak repair and provide you with a free estimate for the work.

For you industrious do it yourselfers, you can give it a go if you wish. Just remember that because the leak is underneath the slab, some demolition will be involved. Whenever demolition is involved, that means tearing out finishes other than those related directly to the leak, which in turn means they will also have to be replaced.

Just a word of warning that slab leak repair may involve other trades besides just plumbing and demolition, so before you tear into the process of finding and fixing that leak, don your tool belt or call a plumber.

Another tip regarding slab leak repair; check with the provider of your homeowners insurance. Sometimes people are surprised to find out they are covered for flooding and other damages, such as flooring repair that must follow after slab leak repair is performed.

Slab Leak Repair – What’s Involved

Keep in mind this is a whole different ballgame as far as repairing a leak because of where the leak is located.

• First the exact location of the leak must be identified. If the leak is one involving hot water, roaming around in bare feet might give you a clue. A licensed plumber like Eagle Services is going to have the right equipment to perform more sophisticated leak detection.
• The flooring materials will have to be removed from the area where the leak is detected. Your plumber is only going to remove what is absolutely necessary to avoid unnecessary costs for replacement.
• Next the concrete will require drilling through to reach the leak. A slab is generally 4″ thick, so it will not be the same as drilling through a half inch piece of pine or plywood. The opening initially may only be sufficient for the plumber to confirm he/she has located the leak area. The area can then be made bigger once that is ascertained so that the repair technician has sufficient working space to make the pipe repair.
• The water will need to be shut down at the main supply. This is a very important step. Then the portion of the pipe that is leaking will need to be removed using a pipe cutting tool. Your licensed plumber from Eagle Services in Arizona will then replace the damaged portion with an exact identical portion of pipe, which will most likely be PVC or it could also be copper.
• Copper pipe replacement is going to require welding, and the access area will have to be left exposed for a couple of days to make sure the leak has been sealed up.
• Once it is certain the leak has been repaired, a bag of concrete is mixed up to fill the area where the concrete was removed, poured and smoothed even with the existing surrounding slab. The re-poured area will need to cure for a few days before being covered up.
• When curing is complete, the flooring can be replaced, and you will be good to go.

Do not ignore a slab leak because it can end up causing more extensive and costlier damage if left unattended.

The friendly and experienced team at Eagle Services is fully prepared to perform slab leak repair and detection. Leave all the work to us; we’ll handle it promptly, efficiently, and affordably, and even assist you in filing a claim on your homeowner’s policy if applicable. Eagle Services – always on call, always prepared; we are the preferred plumbing and HVAC contractor in the Phoenix and surrounding area. Call today for a free estimate!