Need An Emergency Plumber? Reasons Behind Concrete Slab Leaks For Homes | Sandy Springs, GA
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Leaks are a plumbing problem that wastes almost a trillion gallons of water in the USA annually. Finding and fixing leaks on time is crucial to saving water and money. Plumbing water lines that supply water to your faucets, toilets, showers, and laundry areas are prone to crack and burst, leading to water leakage that might require the immediate attention of an emergency plumber.
A concrete slab leak is not a common issue in most Sandy Springs, GA homes. It occurs when the water pipes running through or below the foundation start to leak. This problem might take a while for homeowners to notice, causing additional and significant water damages and higher water bills. Continue reading to find some of the reasons your slab could be leaking.
Poor Installation
One of the common causes of slab leaks is poor craftsmanship during the installation of pipes and other plumbing fixtures in or below the foundation or slab in your home. Having an unqualified emergency plumber install plumbing water lines in your entire home is the worst mistake any residential property owner can make.
The quack can fix the pipes poorly, making them start bending or having dents after installation. The hollows and bends can lead to sizable dimples in the water lines, causing leakages. Slab leaks due to bent and dented pipes can be mild and hard to notice for homeowners until they show signs of water damage, such as mold growth on the floor or walls.
Once you realize the mold growth, it is time to call a plumber to find and identify the underlying plumbing issue and fix it.
Pipe Materials
How robust is the water line in your home? The probability that you don’t know about the condition of your pipes is higher, especially if you are the type of homeowner that does not value maintenance.
Plumbing pipes with high chances of corroding include those made of copper, cast iron, galvanized steel, and brass. It is worth mentioning that the metal plumbing pipes can last longer if not exposed to acidic or hard water.
Chemicals in water passing through your pipes, such as calcium and magnesium properties can make water lines corrode over some time. Low-quality water can give room for corrosion to occur. The rusting will lead to cracks that will burst the pipes, causing mild to severe water leakage.
It is best to call an emergency plumber once you notice any minor slab leaks to ensure prompt repairs to avoid the problem from escalating to indoor floods that will cause extensive water damage.
Abrasion From Concrete
The second cause of the slab leak is a scratching of the pipes. Water lines passing through the concrete slabs incorrectly sleeved by an inexperienced emergency plumber can get scratches. The scrapping can erode the copper water pipes over time, causing leaking.
Abrasion of water lines is common in hot water pipes because they tend to expand and contract when cold and hot water passes through them. The constant scraping, contraction, and expansion of the water lines cause holes in the pipes, leading to a slab leak that will need the services of a plumber.
Old Piping
Homeowners in Sandy Springs, GA, not investing in re-piping their plumbing water lines are likely to have slab leaks. So, if your home is 40 plus years old, it probably has galvanized steel and copper pipes, which are at risk of rusting. The corrosion will cause wear and tears as well as cracks on the water pipes, leading to slab leaks.
An emergency plumber will fix the leaks if contacted on time for repairs or replacement of the cracked pipes. Therefore, to be on the safe side, you should repipe your entire home plumbing water lines if your home is old with pipes that are highly susceptible to corrosion for new and advanced ones.
Pipe Electrolysis
Another reason behind concrete slab leaks in homes is electrolysis to copper pipes. It is a problem that occurs when electricity makes the copper water lines disintegrate or break down. The direct current moves through grounding wire to water pipes that are under the slab foundation.
The electrolysis of the copper water lines leads to a decomposition that makes water gush out of the pipes. It is a catastrophic issue that will require an emergency plumber and a professional electrician to fix as soon as possible to prevent ground faults that can lead to electric shock or electrocution.
Foundation Shifting
Folks in Sandy Springs, GA, might experience slab leaks due to a shift in the foundation. The concrete slab can move when the ground shifts due to earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes.
The soil can also shift because of expansive soils that contain minerals, which absorb water for them to expand. The level of expansion will depend on how much water gets into the soil and shrinks when the water content is low.
You should call an emergency plumber if you notice any wet spots on your floor to prevent the shrinking or expansion of the soils under the construction slab. The plumbing pipes and connections bend and weaken with the movement of the soil under your foundation.
As the pipe connections continue to weaken, the water lines start leaking. The leaks under the slabs can lead to significant soil volume changes, which will require costly repairs by an experienced and highly skilled plumber.
Call Us For Professional Help!
If you notice signs such as higher water bills, cracks on the foundation, warm and damp spots on the floors, and visible shifts of the soil under the foundation, you should not hesitate to call an emergency plumber within the city.
At Peach Plumbing & Drain, we have trained and certified emergency plumbers ready to address all your plumbing issues. Our plumbers are also experts in installing, repairing, and maintaining plumbing systems.