The easiest leaks to catch happen in obvious places in your home, such as under the sink or around your toilet. Pooling or dripping water around these fixtures can tell you when something's wrong.
However, slab leaks may not present with such obvious signs. You may not even be aware of the leak until the time is too late. A silent slab leak can slowly destroy the concrete and cause the foundation to shift and buckle.
If the leak goes undetected for too long, your house might collapse due to excessive water damage. Thankfully, you can avoid damage from a slab leak if you can catch the signs early. But you'd still have to know what to keep an eye on. Discover three signs that may point to a slab leak in your home.
1. Bulged Sections on Your Floor
The soil under your home's foundation provides a level surface on which your house rests. A slab leak can make this layer of soil swell and shrink. As a result, the water creates a shift that causes the floors to push up and heave around the points that the leak is most severe. In addition, the sub-flooring could start to rot and trigger damage in the carpeting and hardwood floors.
With the carpeting, you can expect patches of dark spots and damp sections as the slab leak gets worse. In addition, a hidden slab leak may create mounds on linoleum floors. The force of leaking water may create tension that disintegrates the concrete underneath the floors.
Unfortunately, a lot of damage may have occurred when the floors start to bulge and crack. Noticeable cracks along the tiles can also be a good sign of slab leak damage. You may need to contact a licensed professional to get a more in-depth analysis of the damage before things get out of hand.
2. Cracks in the Foundation
Many homeowners miss out on foundation damage, especially if the cracks are hidden or too tiny to identify. But foundation cracks are a good sign of a potential slab leak. You may notice signs of damage both in the interior and exterior of your house.
Unexplained damp spots along the foundation may also point to a slab leak. More dampness could mean that the leak is quite large because you can quickly notice wet areas along your home's foundation.
Worse still, saturated soil around the leak could result in much bigger problems. The leaking water may decrease the soil compactness under your house and create a void.
In addition to foundation cracks, you can also expect your doors to stick and the drywall to form cracks. Also, isolated mold spots on your floors could develop due to the high moisture content from the leak.
Extensive foundational cracks gradually worsen your home's structural integrity. While crack repairs may seem like an excellent solution, the fix is only temporary if you don't address the actual cause of the damage.
3. Increased Water Bills
An unexplained spike in your monthly water bill could be a result of many plumbing problems. However, the sharp rise can help your plumber narrow down on a slab leak after they eliminate other potential issues. They may have to rule out leaks in your toilets, sinks, and inside your walls.
The sharper the bill increase, the worse the leak could be. Thankfully, a rising water bill can help you catch a hidden slab leak early before the heavy damage kicks in. But if you're too late, a combination of any of the above two signs may further narrow down to a slab leak in your home.
Compare your previous water bills to your most recent one to get a better idea of just how bad the leak is. You should act fast to protect your home against further damage.
If you suspect a slab leak inside your home, don't hesitate to contact us at
Express Electrical Services.
