Leak Star Leak Detection Blog - Leak Star

Dangers of Slab Leaks You Need to Know

6/1/2017

Slab Leaks rank among the most-feared home repair issues as they can be difficult to fix!

If a slab leak develops in your home, you’ll need to have a slab leak repair San Clemente expert fix it as soon as possible. A slab leak occurs beneath the concrete foundation of your house. If neglected, a leak of this kind can lead to serious problems, including the danger of rot and mold, or even cracks and holes.

Unfortunately, slab leaks can easily go undetected until they’ve already caused damage to your home. Serious potential issues that make slab leaks or any type of leak dangerous for your home include:

1. HEALTH ISSUES
Slab leaks that are not detected can surface above the concrete. Once there, carpet and drywall become wet turn them into breeding grounds for mold. Mold exposure can cause respiratory problems like coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks and other respiratory tract conditions. Children and the elderly can be at greater risk.

Effects of Slab Leaks To Your Home

5/2/2017

Treating your home and property with utmost care is every home owner’s priority. A water leak often a slab leak should be dealt with extreme seriousness. There can be different causes of water leaks below your home's foundation.

Where are these so-called “slab leaks” located? When do these water leaks occur?

A water leak under the slab occurs literally underneath the concrete slab of your home where a maze of water lines are found. Sometimes crowded and shifting soil or clay below the concrete can put heavy amounts of pressure in the concrete itself and cause the slab to loosen and crack giving way to a leak eventually.

More often than not, in the San Diego & Orange County areas, slab leaks and most other copper water line leaks are caused by a chemical reaction created between the copper pipe and the additives in our public water supply. This interaction causes copper pipe to literally erode from the inside. Small pits develop and as they grow they erode to the outside of the pipe, eventually creating a pin hole size leak which under pressure continues to grow.

Early slab leak detection is recommended, and expert slab leak repair San Clemente should be performed due to the following effects:

1.Extreme water damage to your home which will cost you more money in the end.

2. High electricity and water bills can also be prevented if slab leak detection and repair are performed early. Don’t wait once you suspect a water leak. You will save yourself a lot of money, time and frustration of dealt with early.

Is The Answer Slab Leak Repair in Ladera Ranch

4/19/2017

Plumbing Problems in Ladera Ranch

I suppose it goes without saying, Ladera Ranch has some serious plumbing issues in the community as a whole. So great is this problem that there is actually a class action suit. So, is the answer slab leak repair in Ladera Ranch? The problem is very tiny pinhole leaks in many homes copper pipe. There are those who would argue that it is faulty installation. I would argue, that this is not the case. These pipes generally develop these tiny leaks somewhere along a run of piping, not generally in the soldered joint.

Some would say it is inferior copper pipe. That may make the problem worse orcontribute, but we purchase from our plumbing supply houses supply. It still doesn't explain why certain areas are experiencing such catastrophic promblems. If it was inferior pipe only, than it seems like the problem would exist all over the country. Doesn't seem to be the case and it does seem to be a problem in many areas in Southern California. We see these types of leaks in San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, needing slab leak repair Carlsbad, Encinitas, Oceanside and nearly every city in Orange and San Diego Counties. Newer homes seem to have more than their fair share of problems and since Ladera Ranch is a newer community, they seem to be hit the hardest, per capita.

My best guess after having seen 100s of these types of leaks is that as many believe is due to the Chloramines & possibly ofther additives that are in our drinking water. A chemical reaction causes the copper to pit on the inside of the pipe, eventually erroding all the way through. It starts a slow weep and eventually turns into a full high pressure spray. These pinhole leaks can appear in any area of your home, where water pipes run. The ceiling, the walls and even under your concrete slab, known as a slab leak.

Slab Leak Repair in Ladera Ranch

Slab leaks make up a big chunk of all plumbing leaks. While repairing a slab leak sounds ominous, it is really no more difficult than an in wall water line leak. Believe it or not, a slab leak detection is fairly easy if the right equipment is used and that is why it is important to get a qualified leak detection company to perform the leak detection service.

Pinhole Leaks in Ladera Ranch

4/12/2017

Hundreds of homes in Ladera Ranch are part of a class action suit. The problem is pinhole size plumbing leaks appearing in copper pipes. It is believed that chemicals in the water are causing copper pipes to errode from the inside causing tiny almost invisible tiny leaks. At first the leak may go undetected, but over time these leaks will continue to grow and turn into a heavy spray. If you are not home at the time, a spray can cause significant damage to the walls, ceiling and even running down to the floors destroying beautiful flooring and carpeting.

When the leak is still small damage can be just as serious. A small drop will slowly permeate drywall, running down the inside of your walls. It may not be so obvious, but no less damaging. These damp or slightly wet conditions are the ideal environment for mold growth. By the time you become aware of this tiny leak, mold has already begun to invade your home in just hours.
There are signs that you can watch for. If you do suspect a water leak in your Ladera Ranch home, give Leak Star a call at: 949-429-9884. We specialize in leak detection & water line repair in Orange County. We are also equipped and qualified to begin the cleanup immediately to prevent further damage

Click the link to see an ABC Channel 7 News Report on the class action suit and the experience of a family in Ladera Ranch who exerienced multiple pinhole water leaks.

Infrared Tech Brings Leak Detection to a New Level for Your Trusted Plumber Around Carlsbad

3/27/2017

How Infrared Can Help Your Plumber Locate Slab Leaks

For decades, infrared technology has proven its value in the home construction industry. The fruits of its evolution are utilized by contractors, building inspectors, and energy analysts to determine if a home is structurally sound and safe for its occupants. It shouldn't come as a surprise, therefore, that the most experienced leak detection specialist in Carlsbad and nearby areas would include such high-tech gadgetry in his arsenal.

Have Your Pipes Burst? Take these Precautionary Measures Before Calling a Plumber Serving Encinitas

2/3/2017

An Encinitas Area Plumber Repairs Water Line Leaks Quickly and Efficiently

A burst or leaking pipe is an emergency that every homeowner eventually encounters. This often occurs if your home has older pipe lines or excessive pressure due to a faulty regulator.

Whatever the cause, water line leaks and their consequent repairs can cost you thousands of dollars. But if you know the proper steps to take in the event of a water leak, you can mitigate the damage—and the costs—incurred.

Repiping - When Is It Time?

1/20/2017

Repiping, when is it time to just go ahead and do it? This is a question many homeowners face. Repiping Carlsbad homes is common and at some point it just makes sense to go ahead and do it.

When is it time to just go ahead and consider repiping Encintas homes? Our recommendation to everyone is if you have had to do more than two reroute or single line repiping, than it's time. Or if your home is very old, and you have had at least one major water line leak, repiping is something you really want to consider.

Repiping Ladera Ranch homes is very common. The Ladera Ranch area has significant problems with copper pinhole leaks. Many homeowners have decided with the history of Ladera Ranch that repiping is the way to go after even just one water line leak.

There is also a great need for repiping San Marcos homes. Many of those homes are older and after a single leak it is often determined that repiping the house is a good idea for peace of mind.

Repiping Encinitas & Carlsbad

8/18/2016

Have you experienced more than one slab leak or copper pipe leak in your home? A slab leak repair more than twice, is just to much. If this is you, it is time you consider repiping Encinitas or repiping Carlsbad home. In both San Diego County and Orange County, slab leaks are a major problem due to the additives in our water supply that corrode the inside of your copper pipes.

The thought of repiping your Encinitas or Carlsbad home is likely an overwhelming thought. Let us assure your, Leak Star has decades of repiping experience and can in most cases of a small to average size home have your entire repipe complete in 2-4 days, without the need for you to move out of your home.

You have options which will affect both the cost of repiping your home and the length of time it will take to complete the ripe in Encinitas or Carlsbad.

The first option we prefer, is with the use of PEX pipe. Pex is a plastic pipe as opposed to copper pipe. We prefer PEX for a few reasons. One being the obvious, there is a problem with copper errosion and our water supply. With PEX that isn't a problem.

Repiping with PEX also decreases the time that will be needed to complete your repipe. It also will greatly reduce the damage done to your walls. PEX pipe can be fished through the walls, meaning a smaller hole as an entry and exit point. That equates to decreased drywall repair costs.

You may not feel comfortable with the idea of plastic pipe for various reasons. A concern I had was the thought of having our water standing in plastic pipes all the time. The truth is, most of the water pipes outside leading to your home are plastic. It's hard to escape. For that reason we installed a whole house water filtaration system in our home. The cost of using PEX will cost far less than your second option.

The second option is to repipe with copper pipe again. As mentioned above copper pipe does not stand up well to our current water supply. The chemicals cause the inside of the pipe to pit and errode. Eventually eating a hole all the way through. In the image above you can see the actual corrosion happening on the inside of a pinhole leak. You may get some years without problems, but repiping Ladera Ranch homes which is a very new community in Orange County these types of leaks are so common that there is actually a class action suit undeway.

Another problem with copper is that it is quite valuable today, to the point that there are those who actually steal copper ever y chance they get. Even stripping copper from the inside of electrical lines. Using copper alone will increase the cost of your repipe.

Consider to the extensive damage that will need to be done to your home. Since copper doesn't bend like PEX, more drywall will need to be removed in order to run a rigid pipe through the framing of your home. As you can imagine the length of time needed to complete such a job will be much longer. You may even want to consider finding another place to stay for a bit. The costs of a copper repipe will take a significantly larger chunk out of your wallet.

At Leak Star we are qualified to do both and have done both, including copper repipes before it was realized how extensive the problem with water additives and copper was. We would be happy to give you a bid of doing a repipe with PEX or copper in your home.

Please give us a call, we would be happy to answer your questions:

Leak Star San Diego: 760-519-8466
Leak Star Orange Co: 949-429-9884

Slab Leak Detection & Repair in Ladera Ranch

7/27/2016

Slab Leak Detection Ladera Ranch

The incidence of slab leaks in Ladera Ranch have grown astronomically. Not only slab leaks, but leaks in the walls and coming from the ceiling as well. The damage done to a home or business that has succumbed to a copper pipe water line leak can be tremendous not only to health but to the structure of the building if not dealt with immediately.

So what should you do if you are so unlucky? First of all, call a qualified leak detection specialist like Leak Star. We have decades of experience behind us. We are not only qualified to find your slab leak or water line leak, but we are qualified to make the slab leak repair in Ladera Ranch as well.

You probably have a lot of questions. Leak Star is always happy to educate you as much as you need. The more you know, the better equipped you will be to make an informed decision on the course you should take. The first thing you will need to decide is whether or not to have us do a single line reroute or do a complete repipe in your Ladera Ranch home. You aren't the only one who has had to make this choice.

First let me explain briefly the situation afflicting the Ladera Ranch area. Copper pipe leaks are extremely common due to the addtives in our water supply interacting with the inside of the copper water pipes usually calling what are called pinhole leaks. On occasion full cracks develop. These chemical interactions literally causes the pipe to pit and erode from the inside out until you have a slab leak or copper pipe leak in any other part of your home. This is such a serious problem than homeowners have banded together in a class action suit.

Now for your decision as how to handle this. Most homes in the Ladera Ranch area experience multiple copper pipe leaks which can happen in completely different areas or close in the same length of copper pipe. Sorry to tell you, but the chances that you will experience another slab leak or another leak anywhere elsewhere in your copper line is highly likely, so I will explain to you the difference in a reroute or a repipe.

Cutting out a few inches where the leak has occured would be the least expensive route, but is never our first suggestion. Why? Because as was stated earlier there are without a doubt other errosion problems occuring elsewhere in the copper lines. Often all it takes is for your plumber to be working on the one leak which would including turning off and on the water under pressure and some giggling and shaking of the pipe which can easily dislodge waterever corrosion or sedimate was preventing the pipe from springing a leak in another area as can be seen in the images above.

This was a copper pipe leak reroute pictured which required dryout equipment. Then just a few days later, before we even picked up the dryout equipment anothe leak was spotted in a completely different nearby length of copper pipe. The amount of corrosion can clearly be seen in the second image. This is going on all throughout the copper piping of Ladera Ranch homes and businesses.

We always recommend a reroute around the entire length of copper pipe. Simply put, abandon the leaking run of pipe altogether and reroute a single line from point A to point B. That lenth of pipe should not leak again for possibly decades.

What then of the other copper pipes in the building? Yes, it's true, all of the copper pipes are experiencing this same type of errosion. We see it all the time. We do one reroute and are called back sometimes even within a day for a new leak elsewhere. That is why depending on where you live, like in Ladera Ranch a complete repipe is adviced. More expensive, true, but is absolutely more cost effective. A repipe is basicly done the same way as the reroute, only all of the copper pipe lines are abandoned and rerouted one at a time.

A complete reroute will give you the most long term satisfaction. No more waiting for the next shoe to drop. No more worrying that if you go on vacation you willl come home to find your home flooded. It's done and you can forget about it.

For slab leak detection and slab repair in Ladera Ranch call us at 949-429-9884.
For slab leak detection and slab leak repair in Carlsbad call us at 760-519-8466.

San Diego is Plagued By Pinhole Plumbing Leaks

5/28/2016

A few years ago we had friends who were unfortunate enough to experience a significant plumbing leak in their home. The leak and damage was repaired and everything seemed to return to normal.....or did it? Just 2 short weeks later a copper pipe in their home sprung another plumbing leak. They were told a copper repiping of their Carlsbad home was the only answer. The ordeal that followed was so stressful that they ended up in a hotel for nearly 2 weeks.

How is that possible? We perform slab leak detection services daily and believe it or not, this is not that uncommon. In fact in Orange County just to the north of San Diego there are over a dozen law suits pending with multiple copper pipe pinhole leaks as the reason. There are several class action suits filed by the residents of the Ladera Ranch area, all telling a similar story. Multiple pinhole pinhole plumbing leaks in their copper pipes.

You are likely thinking how in the world does water corrode the inside of a copper pipe? Well, if you think about it, that idea isn't really that far fetched when you think about how water has shaped the surface of our earth. But is that what's really going on in the case of these copper water pipes leaking? Copper pipe has been used for decades without these kinds of issues.