Under Slab Leak Detection and Repair
In-House Plumbing Company works to correct any residential leak detection & repair issues you may be dealing with in your home. With our hands on approach, not only can we test for potential leak(s) but can also locate with no destruction and resolve the problem with little to no damage to flooring, walls and/or landscaping in most cases.
Which service are you looking for?
Slab leak is a term generally used to describe a fresh water leak under a concrete slab in a residential home. However many people within and out of the industry use this term generically to describe both sewer and water leaks. We focus on sewer and water lines that run underneath the concrete slab of the home. The pipes are typically anywhere between 6 inches to 4 feet underneath the slab.
As a homeowner in north Texas it is important to test for sewer and water leaks under the slab due to the expansion and contraction clay soils in the area. If left undetected or broken a leak can cause the soil to expand when wet and contract when dry. If you suspect or have a leak under the slab of your home, we can help! Our trusted expert plumbers can arrive at your home and let you know if you have a sewer or water leak after performing a slab leak test of your sewer and water plumbing systems.
To begin a sewer leak test we start by locating the sewer clean out and placing a rubber inflatable test ball attached to an air hose. The sewer cleanout area is typically located just outside the home. The rubber test ball will be filled with air to block off any water from escaping during our test.
Once the test ball is filled with air we choose a slab level water test observation point inside the home to allow us to observe water once the sewer lines are filled to slab level, this could be a stand up shower drain, commode floor flange (commode will need to be pulled) or a clean out riser in some situations.
Sewer leak isolation is very much like a hydrostatic sewer leak test, but instead of testing the entire under slab sewer system it is now necessary to test sections to narrow down or isolate the leak or leaks within the under slab sewer system. In order to break the system down into smaller parts for testing, we use different sized inflatable test balls and lengths of air hose strategically placing the test balls into the sewer line where we need them to be.
We also use a sewer camera to see inside the pipes and to help us put the test balls where we need them to be as well as locate where our test balls are and what we are testing. Many companies within our industry only use a sewer camera with video to look for and show you a leak under your slab. No matter what anyone says to you when looking at something on a camera monitor or video a company made for you, the truth is no sewer camera can see a leak under a slab. Camera’s can only see what looks like a leak or break in a sewer line under a slab. The only way to know if what looks like an under slab leak is actually leaking is to test that pipe hydro-statically by filling the pipe with water and observing that water for a period of time to see if it drops or holds.
Just because something does not look good does not mean it is leaking or losing water and visa-versa. A crack might be only a surface crack that does not go all the way through the pipe, something that looks like a separated pipe might be a rubber adaptor that is still sealed and not leaking on either connections or sides of the pipe. Something that looks like roots could be hair or something else and there are ton of other possibilities and things we have seen with our years of experience. Another thing you need to understand is that there are several parts of an under slab sewer line that a camera cannot get into, so it makes it impossible using only a camera to locate leaks to check all of the lines, which means you could still have a leak somewhere the camera is unable to detect. The only proper way to locate leaks within an under slab sewer system is to perform a hydrostatic sewer leak isolation with test balls and camera’s to help put the test balls where they need to be.
It is important to note that as of late 2015 we do not recommend leak isolation be performed on cast iron pipe sewer systems. More and more we are seeing major problems with cast iron pipe under slab homes. Many of the residential homes we deal with have already had repairs done in the past or have multiple leaks when we locate it. The truth is cast iron pipe was designed to last 50 years and the last pipe for residential homes in north Texas was installed over 30 years ago. Any repairs that are done to cast iron pipe will have to be redone or abandoned at some point in the likely near future when the pipe is ultimately replaced. With this in mind, In-House Plumbing Company has decided not to locate or spot repair cast iron pipe any longer. Should you have questions or concerns about this we would be more than happy to talk with you about your specific situation and try to help you make the best decision for you. Feel free to contact us today!
A sewer line location can be done with a camera that is inserted into an under slab sewer line throughout a variety of ways in order to locate where the line is and runs from underground. The head of the camera has a special locating device inside of it that transmits a signal to a receiver above the ground so the camera head location can be pinpointed and marked on top of the ground or slab.
If you think of this like a metal detector in a way, the camera head is the metal and the detector would be the receiver. There are certainly other devices with the ability to locate within the industry other than a camera, which can transmit the same signal to a receiver. Within the plumbing leak detection and repair industry a sewer camera is the most widely used line location tool.
First let’s take a moment to explain what a sewer clean out is and why it is a necessary part for any residential plumbing sewer system. A sewer clean out is a pipe normally with some sort of cap on it which provides access into a sewer line for clearing blockages (sewer snake), a sewer camera inspection or test balls for sewer testing.
The three main types of clean outs you will hear about are:
- City/tap clean out
- Main line sewer clean out
- End of line sewer clean out
Let’s explain each of those clean out types and what they are for. A city clean out also sometimes called a tap clean out is a clean out that is usually right at or really close to where the homeowner sewer line ties into the city sewer line usually at the pedestrian sidewalk, edge of the street or alley outside.
This is a clean out that if present would have been installed by the city sewer department and is generally their responsibility to maintain and/or use. A main line sewer cleanout would be within 1 to 5 feet from the edge of a home generally within the flowerbed areas of either the front or back yard of the home. It can be and is sometimes on either side of a home although that is not normal for most homes. This would be a clean out that would give access into the home’s main sewer line both in the yard and under the home.
Then we have end of line clean outs. Many homes have these clean outs in the wall of the kitchen sink or washing machine and sometimes at bathrooms. This could also be sticking out of the ground although especially in newer homes this is not normal. These clean outs are for accessing branch lines of the sewer system. One way to think about this would be to picture a tree.
A city/tap clean out would be the bottom or root of the tree, a main line clean out would be up the trunk of the tree but before the first branch, and an end of line clean out would be at the outside tip of each branch. Also as you picture that tree realize that the water flowing within a sewer system starts at the tip of each branch and flows downward towards the trunk and then ultimately ends up in the city or bottom/root of the tree.
A main line sewer clean out is always necessary to properly test a sewer system under a concrete slab. It is used to insert test balls or cameras into the sewer line. It is necessary for testing and providing a visual inspection of the state of the current lines. They can also be used to unstop a clogged or plugged sewer line.
In-House Plumbing Company can install main line sewer clean outs if there are none present.
In order to repair an under slab sewer leak the leaks must first be properly located so we can do a sewer leak isolation to find a proper location. Once the leaks are located now it is time for repair.
In our opinion there are two ways to access a sewer leak under a concrete slab for repair:
- Penetrate through the slab; remove the concrete and dirt to expose the leak.
- Tunnel from an outside access hole under the slab to avoid interior reinstatement and inconvenience to the homeowner.
In-House Plumbing Company prefers to tunnel from the outside to fix leaks when possible, as it is also cost effective. However, before we even begin digging up your home we can provide you with multiple options for repair upon request.
Once the leaks are exposed and the pipe repair is completed, a post repair plumbing sewer test of the entire system will be done to be sure there are no additional leaks. This test is very important to make sure our repair has been completed properly, there are (needs to be) no additional leaks close to our excavated area and there are no leaks anywhere else within the system. A no leak test must be achieved on the entire system before any dirt is put back into the excavated area.
If interior excavation through the walls or concrete slab is necessary we will not be responsible to reinstate any type of wallboards or flooring. Sometimes it is necessary to locate and repair one or more leaks then retest the sewer system to determine if there are any further leak(s). In these cases additional costs could apply for additional work.
It is important to note that as of late 2015 we do not recommend leak isolation or spot repair be performed on cast iron pipe sewer systems. More and more we are seeing major problems with cast iron pipe under slab homes. Many of the houses we deal with have already had repairs done in the past and have multiple leaks when we locate. The truth is cast iron pipe was last installed over 30 years ago for residents throughout north Texas. Any repairs that are done to cast iron pipe will have to be redone or abandoned at some point in the likely near future when the pipe is ultimately replaced.
With this in mind, In-House Plumbing Company has decided not to locate or spot repair cast iron pipe any longer. Should you have questions or concerns about this we would be more than happy to talk with you about your specific situation and try to help you make the right and best decision for you.
In order to repair an under slab sewer leak the leaks must first be properly located so we can do a sewer leak isolation to find a proper location. Once the leaks are located now it is time for repair. In our opinion there are two ways to access a sewer leak under a concrete slab for repair:
- Penetrate through the slab; remove the concrete and dirt to expose the leak.
- Tunnel from an outside access hole under the slab to avoid interior reinstatement and inconvenience to the homeowner.
In-House Plumbing Company prefers to tunnel from the outside to fix leaks when possible, as it is also cost effective. However, before we even begin digging up your home we can provide you with multiple options for repair upon request.
In north Texas there are generally three ways plumbers in our industry replace pipe under a concrete slab. Let’s discuss the three different methods now.
- The newest and rising in popularity method is trenchless pipe replacement. We do not do or agree with any residential trenchless pipe repair/replacement methods on the market today. The truth is there are a lot of limitations, restrictions and potential long term issues with each of the trenchless options being performed in residential homes in Garland and neighboring cities. We have had to redo several jobs that were performed by trenchless repair and know of a company in DFW that spent 200,000.00 on equipment and training to do one method only to scrap the entire project within six months of starting it because it did not work. We realize that trenchless sounds good in theory which is exactly why we sub-contracted a company in-town to try 10 jobs several years back only to have 5 jobs not be able to be done and 5 more having to be redone when the job was initially completed. We have also done exhaustive research on all of the methods currently available to be sure there is no good way to do trenchless repairs for residential homes. We can honestly say we cannot put our reputation and backing behind this method.
- Another option is to replace the pipe where it currently is by either trenching through the slab or tunneling to expose the entire pipe and replace it. Again In-House Plumbing Company does not agree with this option as well. We would especially recommend against trenching through a slab from one point to another to expose and repair or replace pipe under a slab. This is a horrible idea for the home structure. Also when it comes to tunnel exposure (although sometimes this is the only proper option) many companies offer this as an only option because of the cost of tunneling and the profit they can make. In most cases there are better and cheaper options than just tunneling to expose everything.
- The last and most popular option around north Texas for under slab cast iron pipe replacement is the re-route option. What this option does is looks for ways to re-route the pipe (not putting it back exactly where it was before) to do more trenching outside/around the house instead of tunneling under the house. The less excavation that is done the less expensive the job is to perform which is always better for you.
Unfortunately most under slab sewer replacement jobs take several days to complete, however once the work is completed the work areas will be cleaned up and look fantastic as well as you will have a brand new PVC pipe under slab sewer system that will last for decades.
Because every house is different when it comes to size, layout and where the sewer line exits the home, there is no way to know what it would take cost and work wise to do a complete replacement on your home without seeing the home.
It is important to note that as of late 2015 we do not recommend leak isolation or spot repair to be performed on cast iron pipe sewer systems. Cast iron pipes are only suppose to last 50 years and last placed in homes just about 30 years ago there is a lot of homes that need to have their sewer pipeline replacement done.
Are you dealing with a constant clog within your sewer lines? When someone runs a sewer machine cable into the line are they pulling back roots or mud from the sewer line in the yard between the house and the city sewer line? Are you tired of having your sewer line snaked every 3, 6, 9 or 12 months to clear a clogged sewer line in your yard?
If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, In-House Plumbing Company has the trusted sewer repair experts to help resolve your problem.
We can visually inspect your lines with a sewer camera to see what might be causing the problem and once a problem is found, we have the experience, tools and team to expose and repair the sewer line in your residential property.
So whether you have roots growing into the line, pipe that is offset or not aligned properly, a belly or low spot in the sewer line, a back-falling issue (the pipe is falling the wrong direction), grease buildup, obstructions or some other problem In-House Plumbing Company can resolve it quickly and with minimal damage to your yard.
Are your sewer lines constantly clogging up and in need of replacing? When someone runs a sewer machine cable into the line are they pulling back roots or mud from the yard between the house and the sewer line in the city? We have trusted experts who can visually inspect your sewer line to see what might be causing the problem and once a problem is located, we have the tools and expert individuals to expose and replace sewer lines in your yard.
Whether you have:
- Roots growing
- Pipe that is offset
- Low spot in the sewer line
- A back-falling issue grease buildup
- Obstructions or some other problem
In-House Plumbing Company can resolve your problem with minimal damage to your residential property and landscaping area.
The presence of a water leak within your home or property can create many problems. From high water bills, to foundation problems, abnormally low water pressure and/or mold infestation, identifying and addressing a leak promptly is imperative and should not wait. Professional water leak testing services that utilize either a meter test or a water gauge in order to assess the state of your entire system may be needed in order to determine whether or not a problem exists.
Some signs/symptoms that a leak may be present with-in your fresh water pipe plumbing system would be as follows.
- High water bills
- Warm/hot spot on the floor
- Hear water running when nothing is in use
- Foundation problems/structural damage (uneven floors, cracks in walls and/or doors sticking)
- Ground around your home is wet or saturated when it should not be
- Abnormally low water pressure
Meter Test
A meter test utilizes the city water meter that is already in place and attached to your system in order to assess whether a leak is present or not. A meter test is a simple procedure that requires a visual assessment of the water meter in order to determine whether or not a secondary-gauge, known as a drip indicator, is moving with all of the water shut off in the home. While relatively easy to perform and designed to test the integrity of an entire fresh water plumbing system, the trained eye of a professional may be required in order to access the water meter and ensure an accurate reading can be made.
Pressure Gauge Test
Just as effective as a meter test, a pressure gauge test involves the attachment of a purpose-built water pressure gauge to a hose bib outlet in order to assess the general state and overall integrity of a fresh water plumbing system. Often employed in circumstances where the existing meter may lack a drip indicator or where the results of a meter test may be inconclusive, a pressure gauge test can be very effective for detection the presence of a leak or similar problem.
Identifying the source of a leak
Although a meter test or a pressure gauge will determine if there is a leak in the fresh water plumbing system, a more in-depth and detailed inspection using state of the art equipment and years of experience will likely be necessary in order to determine the source or location of the leak.
Before performing a leak detection, a leak test should be performed. Once it is known that there is indeed a leak and it is determined that the leak is concealed underground or a slab, a leak detection must be performed to pinpoint the location of the leak. In order to properly pinpoint a leak, it is necessary to use start of the art equipment and the leak location specialist must have very good hearing and years of experience.
Locating concealed fresh water leaks is a very difficult job. Many people in our industry say they can do it, but very few people can actually pinpoint a leak properly. A major key to proper leak location is having someone who does and has done many of them. The more someone does the better they will be at them. Unfortunately no one in fresh water leak detection is perfect, but the right ears and experience is the key to getting right the overwhelming majority of the time. It is important to understand that when detecting a fresh water leak usually only one leak can be found at a time. Meaning it would be necessary to find and fix one leak then re-test the system to see if there are any further leaks.
Contrary to what most people within our industry tell homeowners on a regular basis, our experience is that most homes in the north Texas area have not had and will never get a fresh water leak under a concrete slab. Also the homes that have had one leak, in our experience don’t get another leak or at least have not had one yet. However, we do believe that the homes that have had more than one leak over any period of time will very likely continue to have leaks within the system. With this in mind, in most cases we recommend leak location and spot repair of a home’s first leak. However, if the home has had leaks before and another one is discovered, we recommend whole house repiping.
Although many people in our industry highly recommend re-routing water pipes to the attic immediately when a leak is discovered, this is not something that we recommend at all. We believe re-routing should be avoided at all costs and be used only as an absolute last possible option. Putting fresh water lines in walls and attics where one leak could cause major damage to a home is in our opinion a very bad idea.
Once a leak is detected, then a repair plan can be formulated.
Start of the art line location equipment can be used by our line location professionals to locate and mark concealed water lines within a wall, underground and/or under a concrete slab home. Most importantly our line location can be done with no destruction to your property.
In order to repair an under slab water leak the leak must first be properly located. Once the leaks are located now it is time for repair. In our opinion there is one way to access a water leak under a concrete slab for repair. That way is to penetrate through the slab, remove the concrete and dirt to expose the leak.
Many other companies within our industry believe that tunneling from the outside of the house is an option for repair of a fresh water leak. In-House Plumbing Company disagrees with these companies due to major safety and proper repair of the pipe concerns. We believe that tunneling under a concrete slab when the dirt is very wet and unstable is extremely dangerous for the workers doing the tunneling.
Sometimes to properly repair a fresh water leak under a concrete slab in copper pipe the pipe must be silver soldiered which is a process requiring a torch. In order to get the pipe hot enough to silver soldier it, there has to be a ton of fresh oxygen inside and around the repair area. Unfortunately a tunnel no matter how long it is restricts the proper flow of air into and out of the tunnel. Many people believe that they can blow or suck air in and out of a tunnel, and although this might be correct in some cases, every situation is different and it is bad enough to have to repair a pipe one time, it would certainly not be fun to expose and repair it a second time because the lack of oxygen did not allow for the pipe to be repaired properly so the leak started again shortly down the road.
Once the leak is exposed and the pipe repair is completed, a post repair plumbing water test of the entire water system will be done to be sure there are no additional leaks. This test is very important to make sure our repair has been repaired properly, there are no additional leaks close to our excavated area that have just not been exposed and there are no leaks anywhere else within the system. A no leak test must be achieved on the entire system before any dirt is put back into the excavated area.
When interior excavation is performed through the walls and/or a concrete slab we will not be responsible to reinstate any type of wall boards or flooring.
Most of the time with fresh water leaks it is necessary to locate and repair one leak then retest the water system to determine if there are any further leak(s). In these cases additional costs could apply for additional work.
Many people in our industry highly recommend re-routing water pipes to the attic to resolve a leak under a slab, however this is not something that we recommend at all. We believe re-routing should be avoided at all costs and be used only as an absolute last possible option. Putting fresh water lines in walls and attics where one leak could cause major damage to a home is in our opinion a very bad idea.
Are you seeing puddles of water or wet spots in your yard when it should not be? Are your water bills high? Is one area of your grass staying greener than others? Is water bubbling up in your yard? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, call In-House Plumbing Companies trusted water repair experts. We can test for a water leak, and if a leak is detected we can then evaluate the exact problem.
If the leak is determined to be concealed underground and the exact location is not known, we can perform Water Leak Detection to locate the leak. Once the leak is detected/leak location is determined our trusted, experienced and quality team can come up with the most efficient and cost effective plan to expose and repair the water leak quickly and with minimal damage to your yard and landscaping.
Are you seeing puddles of water or wet spots in your yard when it should not be? Are your water bills high? Is one area of your grass staying greener than others? Is water bubbling up in your yard? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, call In-House Plumbing. We can test for a water leak.
If a leak is detected we can then evaluate the exact problem, if the leak is determined to be concealed underground and the exact location is not known, we can perform a Water Leak Detection to locate the leak. Once the leak is detected/leak location is determined our trusted, experienced and quality team can come up with the most efficient and cost effective plan to expose and repair the water leak quickly and with minimal damage to your yard and landscaping.
Sometimes it is not a good idea to repair a water leak in the yard depending on the type of pipe that currently exists from the meter to the house. It might be best to completely replace the line from the meter to the house, with this in mind, once the leak is detected/leak location is determined our trusted, experienced and honest team can come up with the most efficient and cost effective plan to expose and repair or replace the entire water line quickly and with minimal damage to your yard and landscaping.
Tunneling: Residential home tunnels are used to gain access from the exterior edge of your home to someplace interior while avoiding having to break a hole through your slab.
Generally, tunnels whatever size necessary in length and measure 3 feet from side to side by 3 feet from top to bottom. Tunnels are dug by hand in a normal situation. Tunnels can be used to repair a broken sewer drain pipe under a concrete slab.
Get Sensible Solutions Today
Say goodbye to water or sewer leak issues, especially ones under your foundation, by putting our plumbing company to work for you. We offer timely, sensible solutions and restore peace of mind without significantly affecting your property or budget. Contact In-House Plumbing Company today to schedule an appointment.