Slab leaks are extremely costly to repair since they cause serious structural damage to a house. However, with enough knowledge and some effective slab repairs, you can avoid major repairs that may also cost you more money.
A slab leakage usually causes the buildup of water underneath the slabs of your house. Over time, the water could easily reach your floorboards, creating the first symptoms of a leaky slab. The dampness in the already-existing water may eventually lead to warped floorboard. Aside from affecting the overall structure of your floor, it may also affect the stability of your foundation, causing your house to sink or shift.
In order to stop slab leaks, first, inspect the areas where the water collects. You may do this by using a stud finder or a flat sheet metal to check the areas where you think the water is leaking. If there is no water, the leak may be caused by soil moisture, or even food leftovers. It is important to clean the area where the water is collected. Cleaning may require digging up a large amount of soil, which can be messy.
There are also methods that you can use to help you detect slab leaks and prevent them from getting worse. For instance, if your floorboards have cracks or splits in their surface, then these are usually signs of slippage. Another thing that could indicate a problem is if your floorboards are not strong enough to support your weight, since a weak slab can easily buckle under the pressure.
If you are not sure how to properly inspect the affected area, you may consult a qualified professional who can help you get the necessary knowledge and materials to properly repair or replace the damaged parts of the slabs to prevent slab leaks. Once you know exactly what is wrong, you can then take action and fix the problems yourself.
To detect a leak, the simplest way is to apply water in an upward direction to the area where the leak is. If the water flows down the sides of the floor and then into the carpet, then you can assume that there is a leak somewhere. On the other hand, if the water starts to run away from where you applied water, then there are probably cracks and splits in the floor and/or in the walls. If you suspect that you have a broken or damaged slab, then you can try to replace the floorboards and/wallboard if the damage is too much for you to repair.
As the old saying goes, “It takes a few minutes to make a mistake, but it takes a lot of money to make a mistake”, you should never try to repair a leak. This means you should not try to fix the leak yourself unless you have a license and the appropriate tools. Even if you know about the correct procedures, you still need to hire a professional to help you repair the damage on your own.
Most of the time, a professional is able to repair any type of damage on the slabs without having to damage the original surfaces. This is why it’s important to choose a licensed professional who has the required skills. If you do not know anything about the floor or wall repairs, then you can always consult someone else that does.
For slab-leak repairs, the most common thing you need to consider is to check the damage you found by putting water to the affected area. In some cases, you can also get help from the professional to determine whether the area is stable enough to continue with the work or if you should contact a licensed plumber.
If you find that the damaged part is not solid enough to support you, then you can get the help of a professional slab repair company to assist you in repairing the problem. They will take note of the damage, identify the weak point, and advise you on the best course of action that will work best for you.
Slab leaks can be very costly, especially if they cause further damage to the interior of the home. You can help yourself save a lot of time and money by hiring a professional slab repair company to provide you with the needed information on slab repair.