Leak Star Leak Detection Blog - Leak Star

Slab Leak Repair Options

9/1/2018

Slab leak repair options

You have just been told you have a slab leak. Now what? You are probably envisioning a massive hole right in the middle of your livingroom floor in order to access the water line leak. Let us assure you, there are more than one slab leak repair options.

Insurance companies often will only cover slab leak repair and that ishaving your plumbing contractor jackhammer up your floor. Why? We aren't guite sure, but they do. A leak under your concrete slab can be repaired by this method, but there are far less invasive slab leak repair options available to you. Having your floors torn up is extremely invasive.

Don't think you are stuck with the nightmare of an option and still get your insurance company to cover the cost of repairs.

One of the options is a procedure called epoxy coating. To explain it simply,

Water Line Leak Detection

8/24/2018

Water Line Leak Detection

There are several water lines in a home and or on the property. There are a couple of people who would qualify to do a water line leak detection, but while a plumber may be quaiified to locate at an irrigation leak, it's not generally something a licensed, contracted plumber would do. For that job you would want to speak with your landscaper or an irrigation specialist.

Most liscensed leak detection specialists would be doing water line leak detection in the pressurized plumbing system of your home. In the building and it could include the main water line running from the street to a building.

This type of water line leak detection requires very specialized equipment. Water leaks are usually located out of sight, in the walls, ceilings and even under the concrete.

Fair Price For A Slab Leak Repair

8/16/2018

Fair Price For A Slab Leak Repair

Prices for slab leak repair vary quite a bit and you are likely wondering what is a fair price for a slab leak repair? There are several factors you will want to consider.

The first would clearly be the reputation of the plumbing companies you are getting price quotes from. Look for companies with an excellent review history. In that review history, you will find lots of information, like ability to complete the job as promised on time and for the price quoted. Did they arrive on time or notify you in advance of a delay? Were the knowledgeable? Were the experienced? Were they curtious and careful of previous customers needs? How much damage did they do? Did they clean up?

Damage done is a very important concern. You may get someone who gives you a very low quote compared to the others. There is truth to the saying, "You get what you pay for". We strive to do as little damage as possible to our customers home. Sloppy and excessive drywall cuts can add up to expensive drywall repairs. So cheapest isn't always the best option in the long run and will probably end up costing you more, not to mention frustration and headace.

What Is Repiping?

8/10/2018

Repiping

If you have experienced a slab leak, then you have likely had a reroute. A reroute is the bypassing of a single failing line. So what then is repiping? Repiping could be losely applied to the rerouting of a single failing water line locate under the slab, but usually repiping is applied to all of the old water lines in the house being abandoned and new pipes being run.

You may wonder then, when would you need to consider repiping as opposed to rerouting. If you have had more than 2 water leaks in your plumbing pipes, whether due to a slab leak or a leak in the pipes running through your walls or ceilings, then it is probably time to start thinking about our repiping service for your home.

Mold Remediation Scams

7/26/2018

Mold, are you being scammed?

Mold containment field with air purifier on the wrong side of plastic containment field.

It was extemely disappointing to find out just how rampant mold remeditaion scams really are. We had a customer who lived in Florida with a rental property in San Diego Co. We were called out do a slab leak detection Carlsbad for her. There was a slab leak repair that we made.

As we were making the repair we accessed the pipe we needed to connect to under the cabinet. We noticed that there was some mold, not coming from the pipe we were connecting to, but likely from other sources, like the shower and a leaking vanity top.

We reported this to the homeowner in Florida. She was so thrilled about the lack of damage we had made in order to perform her repiping in Carlsbad, that she wanted our help on what came next.

What Is The Hot Spot On My Floor?

7/11/2018

Infrared camera showing hot spot on floor from slab leak

You are here because you are asking, what is the hot spot on my floor. Likely you are suspecting that you may have a plumbing leak below your concrete slab floor. A slab leak is a very likely assumption. But before your call for slab leak detection Encinitas or slab leak detection in Carlsbad, let's consider a few things first.

There are a couple of other possibilites that it could be. As odd as a couple of these possibilites may sound, we have been called out to do a slab leak detection, only to find one of these. The sun shinning on the floor warming it up, the refridgerator motor blowing warm air on the floor and even a large dog napping on the floor, leaving a warm spot. I know what you are thinking, but people have paid us our slab leak detection charge to find out that they had just walked barefoot across the warm spot left behind by snoozing fido.

Do You Need A Slab Leak Repair

6/29/2018

Do you need slab leak repair is probably the first thing that crosses your mind upon finding wet carpet in your bedroom. Or maybe you have found a hot spot on your bathroom or kitchen floor. First call a "qualified" leak detection specialist who has the knowledge, equipment and experience to locate a slab leak.

Never trust anyone who comes into your home and tells you right off that you need to repipe your entire home without even doing any investigation. Unless you have had 1 or 2 slab leak repairs previously, repiping you entire home likely isn't needed. That explains the reason for the picture to the left. What does it have to do with slab leak repair?

If you hire a qualified leak detection company, they will be able to narrow down the precise leaking pipe responsible for your slab leak even if it can't be seen. Our specialists use the latest technology. Infrared cameras and highly sensitive listening devices.

Once the offending water line is located, our team will abandon that line, run a new line, usually making just a handful of drywall cuts in the process. You should not need to move out and the job should be complete that day.

From time to time, you will hear of concrete floors needing to be cut up in order to make the slab leak repair. In Southern California is a rarity to need to do that. Not that it never happens, but it is rare. I'm sure you would prefer a few drywall cuts as opposed to having your floors torn up and having a jackhammer in your living room. Sometimes insurance companies prefer tearing up the floors as opposed to a simple repiping of a single line. If that is the case, we have been very successful working with our customers insurance company.

Here is a slab leak repair done through an opening in the concrete floor. Another reason we do not recommend this is this.....only a very small section where the actual leak was happening. In our experience, once a copper line begins to fail, it will fail elsewhere along the same line sooner or later. That is why we recommend abandoning that entire length of pipe.

Give us a call 760-458-8958. We will be honest with you and give you a fair price. Check out our reviews in the column to the right.

What Are The Signs You Might Have A Slab Leak?

6/13/2018

Slab Leak Repair San Diego

There are many signs you might have a slab leak. Most often there are 3 scenarios that homeowners see first. Often they may have noticed not just one issue, but 2 or more. We have been providing affordable slab leak repair San Diego County since 1987. These are the most common reasons for needing slab leak detection San Diego.

Water On The Floor

Water on the floor is almost always a dead give away. We say "almost" always because on occasion we have been called out to find the dog's water bowl was tipped over or the kids were having a really good time in the tub.

First, if the amount of water is small, dry it up and wait to see if it returns. If it does, potentially you have a slab leak or a water leak coming from another source.

Warm Spots On The Floor

This one is almost always a sure sign that you have a hot water slab leak. Water leaking under the concrete slab will steadily warm the concrete as the leak grows. You will notice it with your bare feet.

Tankless Water Heaters, The Pros & Cons

5/30/2018

Tankless Water Heater Pros and Cons

Is your old traditional tank water heater on it's last leg? Then you have probably been considering whether or not you should switch to a tankless water heater. They are easy to maintain, take up far less space and are energy efficient. There are times that a tankless water heater installation might not be right for you. Let's take a look at some of the pros and cons to help you make a better decision.

Tankless Water Heater Pros

Hot water on demand, endless hot water
Tankless water heaters are compact
Significant savings on energy costs
Tankless water heaters last longer than traditional tank heaters
Tankless water heater warranty is usually 10-15 years compared to a traditional warranty of about 6 years
A tankless water heater is better for the environment
Much smaller waste when water heater replacement is needed in years to come

What To Expect During Slab Leak Repair Encinitas

5/21/2018

So you’ve found a puddle on your floor or a damp spot in your yard outside, and you know that you need to hire a slab leak detection Encinitas professional. If you’ve done a little searching on the internet, you may have run across old information that has you dreading the next step and imagining all sorts of damage to your home. Let us walk you through the process and help set your mind at ease.

1. Where’s The Leak?

One of the biggest advantages of hiring a slab leak detection specialist is that they’ve got the tools and experience to find your leak quickly. In the old days plumbers used to have to guess much more imprecisely, using things like location of the puddle and/or temperature of the floor. Now we have sophisticated equipment and techniques that can help locate the leak.

2. What’s The Best Course Of Action?

When deciding what to do next, it matters that your plumber determine why the leak has occurred. If, for instance, the leak was caused by pipes that corroded, repairing it might only be a temporary solution. (This is also why we don’t recommend epoxy as a repair method: it’s difficult to get the epoxy evenly onto every surface of the pipe, and the corrosion often just occurs again in another location.) If this is the case, we usually recommend repiping service. While we’re happy to return and work for clients again, we really hope that most people will experience a slab leak repair no more than once in their lifetime--we’d rather get the work done right the first time.

3. Getting It Fixed

This is where most people imagine that they will lose their hardwood flooring or have to tear up their carpeting. The truth is that it’s almost never necessary for us to cut into the floor in order to fix your slab leak. Often, the most we need to do is make a few small cuts in the drywall. At all times, we work hard to use the solution that is most financially sensible and least disruptive for our customers. In general, depending on the size of the house and water system, a repiping job only takes us about 3-4 days, during which time you can remain in your home.

We understand that finding a slab leak is stressful, and for many people it’s the worst plumbing disaster they will ever face. That’s why we want to give you the benefit of our experience and knowledge. If you suspect you have a slab leak, don’t let your hesitation stop you--give us a call and let us help you prevent the damage and expense that can result from waiting. We promise to make it right and get you back to normal, as quickly as possible.

Sources:
What Are Symptoms Of A Slab Leak? - www.answers.com
How To Fix A Slab Leak - www.angieslist.com