Slab Leaks | Pt. 1 | Common Causes

5/25/2022 (Permalink)

Slab leaks can range in severity from a small trickle to a full pipe burst.

A slab is a single concrete base foundation underneath a home. A slab leak occurs in the copper pipes that run underneath the concrete slab foundation. 

Slab leaks can range in severity from a small trickle to a full pipe burst. Any and all leaks should be repaired immediately, as ignoring them can lead to further property damage.

What causes a slab leak?

Top causes of slab leaks include:

Improperly built foundation. If you have a newer home and are already experiencing a slab leak, you might want to have a plumber and a home inspector see if perhaps your home was built with an improperly laid foundation.

Movement of the earth. Earthquakes can cause slab leaks. But even in places without earthquakes, soil erosion and underground waterways can shift things around putting pressure on your pipes.

Water corrosion. Extremely hard or soft water can cause corrosion of pipes, which leads to pinhole leaks. Over time, this can lead to major leaks.

Friction. Sometimes pipes rub against your concrete foundation, wearing them down. Hot water pipes expand and shrink due to the heat of the water running through them. This could cause even more friction between a hot water pipe and your home’s concrete foundation slab.

An aging home. Slab leaks are very common in older homes. Older homes tend to have a combination of several of the factors listed above.

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