Did you know that American households waste a total of 1 trillion gallons of water annually? Most of this water wastage is caused due to leakage, which can occur in multiple plumbing systems within a household. Fixing these leaks can save 10% of an average home’s water bills. One of the most common leaks you may encounter in your home is a slab leak.
Slab Leak – What is it?
A slab leak develops in the copper pipelines laid out underneath your home’s concrete foundation. These pipes generally carry wastewater in them collected from different parts of your household, directed towards the town sewer. Since these pipes run underneath your home slab, the leak is termed “slab leak”.
Why does it Leak?
These pipelines are subjected to corrosion and other forms of depletion over time. The pipes may also leak when pinholes appear due to several factors, including materials, poor construction, and the passage of time.
Slab Leak – Symptoms
While slab leaks may appear little, they can result in extensive flood damage, a high water bill, and expensive future repairs. Following are some of the symptoms of slab leaks:
- Higher water bills
- Damp spots on the floor or carpet area
- Slower water pressure in the sink or showers
Causes of Slab Leak
There are multiple causes for a slab leak to occur. Some of the reasons are given below:
Depletion with Time
About 76.2 percent of households in the country are aged 50 or more. Older house construction involved traditional ways of plumbing with pipelines built from unreliable materials. These older pipelines are more susceptible to corrosion, break, wear & tear, leaks, and lengthy periods of tension or strain, resulting in slab leaks.
Fix:
Such leaks can be avoided with regular inspection and maintenance. It’s better to adopt the latest plumbing materials to keep the plumbing system working efficiently.
Concrete Abrasion
Another typical source of slab leaks is abrasion. When pipes grind against cement, sand, other ground substances, or another adjacent pipe frequently, the persistent friction can lead them to wear out and eventually leak.
Hot water pipelines are more susceptible to abrasion as pipes expand when heated, making them vulnerable to contact with their surroundings and getting damaged.
Fix:
There are various plumbing fixes for abrasion. You can acquire an expert plumber to install abrasion-resistant valves and piping material to prevent these leaks.
Faulty Installation
The most typical source of leaks is a pipe incorrectly placed or of low quality. Due to constant abrasion over time, if the water pipes were pinched, deformed, or damaged during installation, the deformed areas might cause the piping to leak or even explode.
Fix:
The only fix to this is to hire an expert plumber to fix the water piping of your household. They can patch the pipes where necessary and even replace them with a better material to prevent corrosion over time.
If you’re looking for a reliable plumber in Rowlett, TX, consider us at Wasden Plumbing Services LLC.
We’re one of the top plumbing services in Rockwell and Rowlett, TX, with a team of specialized plumbers with over 20 years of experience in the field. We offer reliable and affordable leak fixes, drain cleaning, toilet repairs, gas leak inspections, and several others.
Want to learn more about our services? Get in touch today!
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