Why Slab Leaks in Your Home Should Not be Disregarded
Have you noticed that your water bill has shot up recently? That you have low water pressure? Perhaps you’ve noticed dampness or mildew in your home?
A slab leak could be the cause of all these problems – and many more. A slab leak is caused by water pipes leaking under your home’s foundations.
Unfortunately, by the time these symptoms arise, the leak could have already caused considerable damage. When it comes to slab leaks, prevention is far better than cure.
Slab Leaks Can Cause Structural Damage
The foundations of your home carry a huge weight. Copper pipes run just beneath them. When these pipes leak, water can seep into your home’s foundations, causing them to warp or shift.
If your foundations are damaged, the safety of your whole house is compromised, and you have an extremely costly problem on your hands.
Pressure on your foundations can cause cracks to appear in near the base of your home’s exterior walls. Left untreated, these cracks will grow and, in an extreme case, your home’s foundations can eventually collapse.
Structural damage is every homeowner’s nightmare. Regular slab leak inspections are a simple way to avoid it.
Slab Leaks Can Harm Your Family’s Health
Your home is a fragile system. Water should stay where it’s supposed to be – safely flowing in and out of your home through pipes, and only pooling when you need a bath or a glass of water.
When water rises through your floor due to a slab leak, this causes damp and mold. The spores released by mold and mildew can be a serious health hazard. They cause coughing, issues with breathing, and exacerbation of asthma and other respiratory diseases.
Children and the elderly are most severely affected by mold-related illnesses. But breathing in toxic spores all night is not good for anybody.
Inspections Can Save Money Long Term
It’s essential to have your pipes inspected for poor installation, early damage, and signs of weakness.
Leave it too late, and a pipe can break. Fixing a broken pipe alone can cost thousands. But this is just the start. One water starts rising beneath your home, the cost of dealing with the problem starts rising too.
A slab leak can cause damage to your home’s foundation, floors, and walls. Even less serious problems, like water pooling and damp, can be expensive.
Homeowners should schedule routine, preferably annual, inspections of their pipeworks. This is a small price to pay to avoid major damage.
Don’t Leave It Too Late
If you’ve noticed the early signs of a slab leak, the clock is ticking. Deal with the problem as soon as you can.
If you haven’t noticed any issues such as damp, low water pressure, or structural damage – that’s great! But you still need to take action. You have an opportunity to prevent these issues from ever arising.
Schedule an inspection of your pipes, and ensure your home remains a safe place to live.