Good ol' Slab Leak

[airjon23]

So my 5-year-old house decided to created a slab leak...from what I have been able to determine, the main supply line to the house is leaking just upstream of the interior shut-off valve. When I close the valve, I can still hear the leak, plus, the meter spins like it's going out of style. The pipe is definitely busted in the slab...my yard is soaking wet, but on the opposite of the house as the supply line. Nothing like a 275-gallon per day leak!

It's been leaking for almost a month, but we just realized we had the leak thanks to an outrageous water bill. (September usage was up 8,000 gallons! I noticed some unusual saturation in the yard, but didn't give it much thought until the monthly bill arrived!) The water company hasn't been any help, and tomorrow represents the first day that any contractor has been available to help. Following a leak detection test to pinpoint the leak, the wet-saw will come out to play! Thankfully, I contacted the home builder and they warrant the slab and slab leaks for 6-years...I am good by 11-months! (Insurance company basically told me to take a hike. I'm glad I decided to contact the builder just to see how they would react.)

By the way, the home builder will be on-site for the detection and repair. I'll post pictures if I see anything worth posting!

 

[VirtualSVT]

Yikes...Good luck.


My parents spent a small fortune dealing with that a few years back.

 

[airjon23]

Yikes...Good luck.


My parents spent a small fortune dealing with that a few years back.

Thanks...I could use some good luck! I just hope like hell the builder doesn't try to weasel their way out of this problem, or else I will be spending a small fortune. If push comes to shove, I will try to find an attorney that will defend me and my unprovoked leak!

 

[FL-Orange]

I design plumbing systems. Your problem is exactly why I hate running the water under the slab.

Usually the utility will adjust your water bill based on average use once you prove you have a leak.

 

[02reaper]

I design plumbing systems. Your problem is exactly why I hate running the water under the slab.

Usually the utility will adjust your water bill based on average use once you prove you have a leak.

What other options do you have when looking at a concrete foundation?

 

[FL-Orange]

What other options do you have when looking at a concrete foundation?

I have more options here because we don't have to worry about pipes freezing. I like to come up on the outside of the building, come into the building about 18" above grade and then up in between fir strips to the attic/second floor framing area.

Alot of contractors here like to do the water under slab because they can rough it in before the slab gets poured, it's less work for them. I usually fight them on the issue unless the owner doesn't care. Problem is, like the OP, you don't know you have a leak until it's a big problem. At least if it's inside the house you will see the leak and at worst (usually) only have to replace some drywall and insulation.

Edit: I've seen a couple of houses where the underslab leak was bad enough to wash the fill under the house away, compromising the structure. The house would need a bigger section of slab cutout, fill brought in and compacted and the foundation checked for problems.

 

[03cobra#694]

What other options do you have when looking at a concrete foundation?

Like FL-Orange said,a lot more options here,Manablock is one,all averhead plastic plumbing and a manifold w/valves in the garage that looks like a circuit breaker panel.Pretty Sweet!

 

[Sonic605hp]

that sucks

 

[02reaper]

I have more options here because we don't have to worry about pipes freezing. I like to come up on the outside of the building, come into the building about 18" above grade and then up in between fir strips to the attic/second floor framing area.

Alot of contractors here like to do the water under slab because they can rough it in before the slab gets poured, it's less work for them. I usually fight them on the issue unless the owner doesn't care. Problem is, like the OP, you don't know you have a leak until it's a big problem. At least if it's inside the house you will see the leak and at worst (usually) only have to replace some drywall and insulation.

Edit: I've seen a couple of houses where the underslab leak was bad enough to wash the fill under the house away, compromising the structure. The house would need a bigger section of slab cutout, fill brought in and compacted and the foundation checked for problems.

Like FL-Orange said,a lot more options here,Manablock is one,all averhead plastic plumbing and a manifold w/valves in the garage that looks like a circuit breaker panel.Pretty Sweet!

Thanks for the info. I'll have to keep this in mind on my next home.

 

[BlueOvalAvenger]

Man oh man, I've had to repair a few slab leaks. Talk about a pain in the ass! The last one I did I was standing in these peoples hallway with a jackhammer for about 5 hours because whoever put the plumbing in decided to just use the slab beams to run the copper. (With no plastic sleaving) It may be expensive...but its a huge headache for whoever has to repair them.

 

[Nvr_Spds]

My parents had a slab leak a few years back. It was under the garage, and thankfully it didnt do too much damage to the drywall.

 

[airjon23]

Here's the update...leak-free plumbing is back...for now! (I'm worried that acidic soil caused the hole in the supply pipe. No cement stakes, rocks, or foreign objects were in the vicinity of the failure!)

Between pin-pointing the leak and making the repair, it was only about a 4 hour job. I must say that I was scared shitless at first...nothing like seeing a plumber holding on to a jackhammer for dear life in the middle of your house! Now, I am just waiting for the home builder to come back out and look at my carpet. The seam was heavily damaged when it was ripped apart to reveal the slab. I'm going to lean on them pretty hard to replace ALL of my carpeted areas; otherwise, the traffic patterns will never match!

Chronological order of repair...

 

[Gallows]

They keep making copper pipe thinner all the time and it doesn't take much to damage it or eat it out.

 

[airjon23]

They keep making copper pipe thinner all the time and it doesn't take much to damage it or eat it out.

I was talking to the plumber about that and he told me that all new residential construction, within the last couple of years, has transitioned to PEX tubing.

 

[Gallows]

I was talking to the plumber about that and he told me that all new residential construction, within the last couple of years, has transitioned to PEX tubing.

Still a lot of copper used up here but mostly in homes with basements. To the best of my knowledge all slabs have PEX under them and a mix of both above.

 

[FL-Orange]

I was talking to the plumber about that and he told me that all new residential construction, within the last couple of years, has transitioned to PEX tubing.

I'm not a big fan of PEX...yet. I prefer sch 40 cpvc.

 

[02reaper]

I'm not a big fan of PEX...yet. I prefer sch 40 cpvc.

What pipe do you think is best for under the slab runs?

 

[yellowgt02]

They keep making copper pipe thinner all the time and it doesn't take much to damage it or eat it out.

Thats what I thought about my last girlfriend! LOL

 

[FL-Orange]

What pipe do you think is best for under the slab runs?

I keep my underslab runs to a minimum. Where needed I will go to PEX or copper because fittings under a slab aren't good either. The pex or (soft) copper would be looped as a single piece. Where I can I'll specify a chase such as a 3" or 4" pvc pipe to run the looped pipe in.

The frustrating thing about designing these systems is the plumber will tell the owner that they can save X amount of dollars by eliminating it (not code required) so they take it out.

If I was plumbing my house though I wouldn't think twice about spending the extra money for piece of mind. Hell, I'd overdo my own house just to have a kick ass system - good pressure (non-maniblock), return hot water lines, extra insulation and such.

 

[FL-Orange]

Still a lot of copper used up here but mostly in homes with basements. To the best of my knowledge all slabs have PEX under them and a mix of both above.

For some reason the water tends to eat copper here. Any house thats 15 yrs old or more I guarantee will need a repipe of the whole house. Cape Coral was studied by national firms to try to pinpoint why the problem is so common. I believe it's a mix of the water treatment and the soil that does it.