Leaks waste almost one trillion gallons of water in the US every year. Identifying and fixing leakages promptly is vital to saving money and water. Plumbing water lines supplying water to your toilets, faucets, laundry, and showers are usually prone to bursting and cracking, resulting in water leakages that may need immediate attention from an emergency plumber.
Concrete slab leaks are not common in many Fernandina, FL homes. They arise whenever the water pipes that run below or through the foundation begin leaking. This issue might take some homeowners a while to notice, resulting in high water bills and significant and additional water damages. What are the causes of slab leaks? Read on to find the reasons why your slab might be leaking.
1. Pipe Materials
Do you know how robust your home’s water line is? There is a high chance you do not know about your pipe’s conditions, especially if you are the kind of homeowner that doesn’t care much about maintenance. Plumbing piping highly susceptible to corrosion includes those made from cast iron, copper, brass, and galvanized steel. However, if not exposed to hard or acidic water, metal pipes can last longer.
The water components that pass through the plumbing system like magnesium and calcium can make the water lines corrode over time. Corrosion can also arise in the case of low-quality water. The rusting leads to cracks that may burst the plumbing pipes, resulting in severe or mild water leakages.
Upon noticing minor slab leaks, you’d better call a plumbing service professional to perform prompt repairs and ensure the problem is fixed. This helps you avoid the issue of escalating indoor flooding that may cause significant water damage.
2. Poor Installation
Poor craftsmanship during pipe installation and other fixtures below or in your home’s slab or foundation is among the leading causes of leakages within your slab. Suppose you enlist the services of an inexperienced and unqualified plumber to install your plumbing water lines at your home. This is one of the worst blunders you can ever make as a property owner.
The inexperienced and unqualified plumbing expert may fix the pipes poorly, making them bend or develop dents just after installation. These bends and hollows may result in sizable dimples in your water lines, making them start leaking. The slab leakages caused by dented and bent pipes may be hard to notice for most homeowners because they are mild until clear signs of water damage like mold growth start showing on the walls or floors.
Upon realizing the growth of the molds, ensure you immediately contact a plumbing service to inspect the plumbing system and identify the plumbing problem resulting in the leakage and fix it. They will also check other parts to ensure your plumbing system operates at optimal conditions.
3. Pipe Electrolysis
The other reason behind the concrete slab leakages at your home is the electrolysis of pipes, especially those made from copper. This happens when the electrical current causes the copper pipes to break down or disintegrate. It primarily results from the direct current flowing through the grounding wires to the copper water pipes under your slab foundation.
Electrolysis of copper water lines results in decomposition, making the water gush off the pipes. This is a catastrophic issue that requires the attention of a professional electrician and an emergency plumber to fix it as soon as you notice it to ensure the ground faults that might cause electrocution or electric shocks don’t happen. While at it, the plumber will inspect the plumbing system for other problems like clogs and blockages. They’ll also advise you on the best repair plan if any issue is detected.
4. Old Piping
The other cause of under-the-slab leakages is old piping. If homeowners don’t invest in repiping their plumbing system, the water lines will likely experience slab leakages. Therefore, if a home is ancient (40 years plus), contact a professional plumbing expert to inspect the make and status of your pipes. It probably has copper or galvanized steel pipes that are prone to rust. The corrosion might result in wear and tear and the development of cracks on the water pipes, resulting in-slab leaks.
A professional plumber can help if you contact them on time to replace or repair the cracked pipes. They will inspect the plumbing and fix the leaks to ensure your home is free from danger. Hence, to remain safe, ensure you call a plumbing technician to perform a repipe to your entire plumbing system if you live in an old home with pipes susceptible to corrosion.
5. Abrasion From Concrete
Scratching of the pipes can also result in slab leaks. Water lines that pass through the concrete slabs improperly sleeved by an unqualified and inexperienced plumber may get scratches. Over time, this scrapping might erode the pipes, especially copper ones, resulting in leakages.
The abrasion of water pipes is a common occurrence in hot water pipes since they tend to contract and expand when hot and cold water flows through them. This constant scraping, expansion, and contraction of the plumbing pipes develop cracks and holes in the pipes over time, resulting in slab leaks that require the attention of a plumbing service.
6. Shifting Foundation
Slab leaks may arise because of a shift in the foundation in Fernandina, FL. When the ground starts to shift because of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, or earthquakes, the concrete slab can begin shifting too. Expansive soils, which contain minerals that absorb water to expand, can also make the soil start moving. The amount of water that percolates into the soil determines how much the ground expands, and it retreats when there is low water content.
If you notice some wet spots on the floor, call an emergency plumber to avoid the soils under your construction slab expanding or contracting. With such ground movements beneath your foundation, the plumbing pipes & connections weaken and bend. The water pipes begin to leak when the pipe connections degrade. Leaks beneath the slabs can cause considerable changes in soil volume, prompting expensive repairs by a highly qualified and experienced plumber.
Professional Plumbers in Fernandina, FL
Slab leaks are bad news for your home’s foundation. Therefore, it is vital to ensure they always operate at an optimum condition. To do this, you need the services of a licensed and professional plumber to inspect and perform repairs and replacements to the damaged or cracked parts. Fortunately, Bert Norman’s Plumbing has got you covered. Contact us today for any plumbing repair, replacement, or maintenance, including patching the slab leaks.