There are few plumbing problems a home might encounter that present more difficulties than a slab leak. What’s a slab leak? It’s the name for a leak in the pipes laid in the concrete foundation of a building. These leaks can occur in either hot water or cold water lines (around 80% are in the hot water lines) and lead to extensive water waste and eventually damage to the foundations.
What makes slab leaks a tough plumbing repair is that they’re difficult to locate and then to reach. Skilled plumbers can use a variety of methods to fix a slab leak once they’ve gotten its location. Using a jackhammer to dig directly down is one option, but plumbers can often use lateral tools to avoid excavation and instead put in new pipes to bypass the leaking section.