Facing a slab leak at your home can be intimidating. Think about it yourself. Isn’t it frightening to know that the concrete slab is cracked? The signs indicating a slab leak are apparent. A spike in your water bill or damage to the flooring should immediately alert you.
Slab leaks are an alarming situation that requires a proactive approach from homeowners. They occur due to various reasons, including improper construction and inferior plumbing infrastructure.
Water leaks occurring underneath the concrete foundation require a professional inspection. Don’t be careless as avoiding the situation will cause issues to escalate profoundly. Instead of paying and suffering less, you will end up doing the opposite.
Financial considerations aside, it is your ethical responsibility to have a well-maintained water system. After all, about 10 percent of American homes waste about 90 gallons of water a day. If you let a slab leak remain as it is, the issue will only exacerbate.
In this blog, we have mentioned three things you should immediately do once you identify signs of a slab leak at your property.
1. Call Professional Slab Leak Detection and Repair Services
While you might evaluate the situation and think it is a slab leak, only an expert can confirm this diagnosis. Therefore, as soon as you see any signs, contact a professional slab leak detection service. Usually, signs of water damage become apparent when the issue is already severe.
Any professional service you consider hiring should have a legal operating license, relevant expertise, and a solid reputation. The company may or may not charge you for inspection. However, you should be thorough in finding a top-notch service provider.
Whatever you do, never hire an amateur plumbing service. Often some level of excavation is required to diagnose issues with the foundation. An inexperienced person will only worsen the situation. It is crucial to emphasize that you must steer away from such a situation.
The professional is likely to use video inspection equipment to ascertain the status of the concrete slab. He will isolate the issue to a specific area and give you an overview. He will also provide you with a repair estimate so that you know the cost.
Once it is certain that there is a slab leak, you need to consider options to repair it. If left unattended, it could damage the structural integrity of your home.
Don’t let the plumbing nightmare gain more power. Trust us; things will get nastier with time.
2. Contact your Insurance Company
Fixing slab leaks can be expensive specially if you are getting it done by a professional service. That means that you must pay a lot, and it may be challenging to make ends meet.
Therefore, you might want to get in touch with your insurance provider to ascertain if they can cover any damage. Thoroughly explain the situation to them and identify clauses that can help you out.
All home insurances do not cover water damage. However, it is still worth pursuing the option. Do note that the homeowner’s insurance policies may cover expenses related to essential pipes.
Usually, there is a ‘named peril’ clause that should warrant your attention. There are some precedented cases where insurance complaints helped policy owners get coverage. Don’t assume that you will be unable to get anything out of the insurance company. The least you can do is try.
3. Plan and Prepare
Once you’ve finalized a professional service to fix the slab leak, it is time for you to plan and prepare. You may have to sacrifice some workdays to accommodate the repair at home. Moreover, you may also have to readjust your schedule.
Considering that the workers will be working for a few days at your house, you may have to change the plans that you had for the week. Also, inform your family members too so that they can prepare for any inconvenience in advance. No one wants to be informed about an issue at the last moment.
Once the contingency planning is done, and you have set reasonable expectations, the next phase can begin. Now the professional can start the repair work, and you can have peace of mind.
It may be intimidating to go through this entire process to get a slab leak repaired. However, the quicker you deal with it, the better it is for you in the long term. The entire structural integrity of the property depends on the concrete slab. Thus, fixing it should be your top-most priority.
Final word
Slab leaks are dangerous and require prompt, professional attention. If you suspect that there is a similar issue at your property, don’t waste any time in contacting a well-reputable service provider to inspect the issue.
Hear what they have to say and come up with a repair timeline. Once that is done, you should figure out whether you can claim any damages through your insurance or not. Repairing a slab leak can be financially draining; therefore, you should try to contact the insurance provider.
Finally, you must plan and prepare the progress of the repair project. You may have to make changes to your schedule and think of contingencies. At the end of it all, you will feel safer at your home. It will be comforting to know that your home has a solid foundation instead of a damaged one.
Author bio
Andrea Bell is a blogger by choice. She loves to discover the world around her. She likes to share her discoveries, experiences and express herself through her blogs. Currently she is associated with slab leak.
