Slab leaks
Slab leaks in Missouri City homes
When a house sits on a concrete slab, many supply and drain lines run under or through it. A leak there stays hidden until the floor or the water bill gives it away.
Say the street address first. Calling soon after a loss helps.
Signs worth acting on
- A warm spot on a tile or hardwood floor.
- The sound of running water when every fixture is off.
- Water meter dials moving when nothing in the house is in use.
- A water bill that jumps with no change in habits.
- Damp carpet edges, lifting laminate or a musty smell in one room.
- Cracks or wet marks along baseboards on an exterior wall.
Any one of these can have other causes. Several together point toward a leak under the floor.
Test before you tear anything up
Turn off every fixture, then watch the meter. Many meters have a small low-flow indicator that turns when water is moving.
A plumber can then use electronic listening gear or a pressure test to narrow the location. Cutting into a slab without finding the spot first is guesswork.
Who does what
A licensed plumber finds and fixes the line. Options range from rerouting the pipe through the attic or walls to opening the slab at the leak.
A restoration contractor handles what the leak soaked: carpet, pad, baseboards, the lower drywall and sometimes the slab surface. Call this line for that part.
Verify any plumber through the state plumbing board.
Water is still moving. Call about it now.
Describe what happened, give the street address, and the call is routed to an independent restoration contractor.