Under Slab Baton Rouge Leak Detection
The ground beneath our homes is constantly moving, expanding and contracting with the seasons and natural forces. Over time, this repetitive motion can put a strain on the building materials including the pipes that pass under or through shifting concrete.
Foundation Leak Detection Experts In Baton Rouge
Slab leaks result from some type of failure in a home’s plumbing system. In addition to soil shifting beneath the slab, additional factors can lead to a leak:
- Natural expansion and contraction of soil and building materials
- Improper installation of water bearing pipes
- Hydrostatic pressure due to improperly managed ground water buildup
- Seismic activity in areas prone to earthquakes
- Local water chemistry that causes certain pipes to wear out from the inside
- Chemical reactions between metal piping and metallic elements in the soil
- Deterioration of pipe materials due to corrosion or abrasion
- Older copper or galvanized metal pipes
The failure could also be caused by faulty installation, weakened water lines, chemical reactions of metals in the earth to metals in the plumbing system. And a leak is difficult to diagnose. You’ll need a top notch team to find it. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana Leak Detection is your best resource.
Warning Signs
The odds are slim that you’ll actually see definitive proof of a leak. But pay attention around your home. Clues and evidence of under slab leaks can be found by your feet. Warm spots in a floor can indicate a problem in the hot water lines below. Flooring materials can begin to bulge, buckle, crack or separate due to expansion underneath. Wet carpet or signs of mold or mildew in flooring materials.
Trust your nose; odd or musty smells coming from floors, walls, or basement mean something is wrong. Listen for the sound of running water beneath your home. Feel for changes in water pressure in faucets or showers.
If you notice any of these things, get a professional inspection as soon as possible. Foundation damage can spread quickly when structural components become compromised by accumulating water.
What Happens Next?
Foundation repair specialists will use a combination of specialized visual and electronic techniques (such as remote cameras or listening devices), plus evaluation of the external traces that water leaks can leave based on extensive professional training.
Once the source of the leak has been confirmed, a Louisiana Leak Detection technician will expose the leaky section of pipe using the least invasive method possible. As an experienced and well equipped team, their goal is to tunnel underneath your that protects the rest of your property. After purging the faulty section of pipe, they will replace it with new material and test the line to ensure that the leak has been fixed.
Not only is this approach far less invasive and destructive than jackhammering out portions of the slab, it also allows you and your family to stay in your home while repairs are underway. This method creates less noise, dirt and dust, maintains the structural integrity of your home, and also helps to protect your remaining undamaged flooring.
Lean More
If you think you have a leak, you need a complete inspection with a transparent explanation of your repair options and what they will cost. Don’t mistakenly assume that repair costs for under-slab leaks are automatically covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy. While some insurers may reimburse for an event like this, coverages and limits vary widely from company to company and from policy to policy. Many homeowners don’t know that this coverage might be optional and excluded at the time of purchase. You should confirm your specific coverage with your home insurance agent.
While a faucet leak may be obvious, and fairly straightforward, not all leaks are so apparent. Leaks underneath the foundation of a home or behind a wall can be difficult for a homeowner to find.
Modern technology allows for accurate, non-destructive slab leak detection. Louisiane Leak Detection is equipped to detect and repair slab leaks use sonic equipment such as ground mics, acoustic systems, cameras, infrared technology and SONAR to effectively pinpoint the location of slab leaks. The foundation leak detection experts at Louisiana Leak Detection serve all of Southeast Louisiana, including Baton Rouge.
