are slab leaks actually dangerous?A slab leak is a water leak beneath the concrete slab foundation of your home. The difficulty of resolving these leaks and their financial consequences. But are they actually dangerous to you and your family? Unfortunately, as slab leaks often go undetected and can impact the foundation of your home, they can become dangerous. Certainly, a homeowner should know the signs of a slab leak so they can minimize the risk of one developing unnoticed.

What are Slab Leaks?

Slab leaks occur when your plumbing system springs a leak below your foundation. Water gathers under the concrete slab, where it can do serious damage. It can erode the foundation, cause it to shift and crack, which can impact the overall stability of your structure. The water may have no choice but to go upward, causing quick deterioration of several elements of your home, including foundation, structural wood, flooring, and more.

Potential Dangers of Slab Leaks

The biggest danger of a slab leak is that your foundation will crumble, crack, or sink, causing your home to lose structural integrity. This is usually a slow process, but slab leaks also frequently go undetected for long periods of time. It’s important to know what a slab leak could look like to reduce the potential damage to your home.

Another danger of a slab leak is the possibility ofa mold infestation. Water leaking up through the slab will have nowhere to go. It will saturate materials like walls and carpets, and this is the perfect breeding ground for mold. Excessive mold growth can cause mild to serious respiratory issues. It’s important to have mold immediately remediated after the slab leak is fixed.

Other Consequences of Slab Leaks

Slab leaks can cause other damage that isn’t a potential health or safety danger but may still be serious. Yard damage, damage to the home’s materials and features and foul smells may all be consequences of a slab leak and leave you with a big bill for repairs, including the actual repair bill for the plumbing and the foundation repair.

Signs You Have a Slab Leak

The best way to limit the damage of a slab leak is to discover that you have one as early as possible. Be on the lookout for these signs that you may have a slab leak:

  • High water bills: The water running under your slab will count towards your water bill. If you can’t otherwise explain a high bill, this may be it.
  • Dampness on flooring: Don’t assume water must have come from above or a leak within the home’s walls. Unexplained dampness can be a sign of a slab leak where the water is rising up from below.
  • Swelling on flooring: Even when there isn’t water, swelling is a sign that there is water pressure somewhere.
  • Sound of water: If you can hear running water, there likely is running water.

A professional plumber can help you determine if you have a slab leak, if it is currently and health and safety risk as well as what you should do about it. Get in touch with our dedicated team for any slab leak repair in Manteca.