Slab Leak Repair in McKinney, TX

What a slab leak is

Slab-on-grade foundations are very common in North Texas homes, with water supply lines laid in the ground beneath the slab or cast within it. A slab leak is any leak in those lines. Because the pipe is buried under concrete, the leak can run for a long time before you see water, and the water can soak into the soil under the house.

Drain lines under the slab can leak too. That is a different problem, usually found with a camera and a drain test rather than pressure testing.

Warning signs

• Higher water bills with no change in use
• The sound of running water when everything is turned off
• Warm or hot spots on the floor, which often mean a hot water line is leaking
• Damp carpet, warped wood flooring, or loose tiles with no obvious source
• Mold or a musty smell near the floor or baseboards
• Your water meter moving when no water is being used
• The water heater running more often than usual, from a hot water leak
• New cracks in walls, floors or the slab

For a longer checklist, see slab leak signs.

Confirm it with the meter test

Before calling anyone, turn off all water use in the house and look at the water meter. If the leak indicator is moving, water is going somewhere. Then close your main shutoff. If the meter stops, the leak is inside the house (which includes under the slab). If it keeps moving, the leak is in the yard line between the meter and your shutoff. Leak detection explains the test in more detail.

Why slab leaks happen

• Soil movement stressing pipes and joints
• Corrosion of copper lines, sometimes from the outside where they touch soil or concrete, or from inside over time
• Abrasion where a pipe rubs against concrete, gravel or another pipe as it expands and contracts with hot water
• Poor installation, such as kinked pipe or damaged insulation sleeves
• High water pressure over many years

How slab leaks are located

Pinpointing the leak before any concrete is broken is what separates a tidy repair from a messy one. A plumber doing slab leak detection will usually:

1. Isolate the hot and cold sides and test each for pressure loss to confirm which line is leaking.
2. Trace the route of the line under the floor.
3. Listen with acoustic ground microphones for the sound of escaping water.
4. Use thermal imaging to spot warm areas from hot water leaks.

The result should be a marked spot on the floor and a recommendation.

The three main repair options

1. Direct (spot) repair through the slab

The plumber breaks a small opening in the concrete at the leak, repairs the pipe, and the slab is patched.

• Pros: fixes the leak where it is and is often the lowest cost for a single leak
• Cons: means breaking concrete indoors, removing flooring, dust and noise, and does nothing for the rest of the pipe
• Best when: the pipe is otherwise in good condition and the leak is in an accessible spot

2. Reroute the line

The leaking section is abandoned and a new line is run above the slab, through the walls or attic, to the fixtures it served.

• Pros: avoids breaking the slab and bypasses the whole section of old pipe, not just the leak
• Cons: involves opening walls and ceilings to run the new pipe, and attic runs need protection from heat and freezing
• Best when: the leak is under a hard-to-reach spot like a kitchen island or expensive flooring, or the line has leaked before

3. Repipe

Part or all of the home's water supply lines are replaced, usually running new PEX or copper through the attic and walls.

• Pros: deals with ageing pipe once, rather than leak by leak
• Cons: the largest job and highest cost
• Best when: there have been several leaks or the pipe is known to be in poor condition

Questions to ask before you choose

• Which line is leaking, hot or cold, and how confident are you in the location?
• What condition is the rest of the pipe in?
• What are the options for my house, and what would each cost?
• Who repairs the flooring, drywall or concrete, and is that in the quote?
• Does this need a permit? (Rerouting and repiping usually involve permitted work.)
• What warranty comes with the repair?

It is reasonable to get a second opinion on a slab leak, particularly for a reroute or repipe. Always check the plumber's license on the TSBPE lookup.

Insurance and the water bill

Many homeowner policies cover the cost of accessing the leak (breaking and restoring the slab) and resulting water damage, but not the pipe repair itself. Policies vary, so call your agent early. The City of McKinney offers a leak adjustment on high bills in some cases, which requires proof of repair within 60 days.