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Sometimes a customer calls us because a flooring company told them they need an under slab sewer leak test. The flooring company saw or detected moisture before or after installing a hardwood floor.

While all of the calls are triggered by different situations, all generally have one thing in common: they have nothing whatsoever to do with an under slab sewer leak.

How Your Under Slab Sewer System Works

An under slab sewer pipe is buried under a 4- to 5-inch thick concrete slab as well as being 6 inches to 3 feet under the dirt that is under the slab.

And as we’ve explained in a previous post, your sewer lines are installed at a slight decline in order to use the power of gravity.

Meaning water and waste flow downhill taking it from where it starts—sinks, toilets, washer, tubs, showers, etc.—out to the city sewer line/waste treatment plant or a septic tank depending on your particular situation.

So unless the water is on somewhere in your house, there is nothing in the sewer line. And since there’s nothing in the line, it cannot at that time be leaking.

It also means that if water is leaking out of your sewer line, once your turn off the water, any that leaks out of the pipe could—and most likely would—leak back into the sewer line.

At that point, it acts like a rain water drain system flushing any water away from the leaking area back down the pipe to the city lines.

This eventually leads to other problems, but probably not the problem the flooring company found.

A Rare Situation

In extremely rare situations, a sewer line could have a leak with a stoppage around the leak. This situation causes much more water to leak or be forced out of the leaking pipe. The stoppage then prevents that water from coming back into the pipe so it can drain out of the system. With nowhere to go, enough water builds up under the slab and forces it’s way up and through the slab.

However, if you have a sewer stoppage, you’ll most likely notice it long before the water has time to build up enough for this scenario to occur.

Most of the time when a customer calls us at a flooring company’s recommendation, it’s because the flooring company found moisture covering almost the entire floor of a room or rooms. And even if you are in the rare situation mentioned above, it is impossible for an under slab sewer leak to cause this.

Causes of Moisture On The Floor

Now let’s consider some possible causes.

Above slab sewer pipe leak

If the problem is localized to one specific area and that area is right around some kind of sewer pipe, it is possible there’s a leak in a sewer pipe above the slab.

This is another rare situation and you probably wouldn’t see moisture or even evidence of it. Instead, you would see water pooling in the area of the leak.

An easy way to check for this is to run a lot of water in your house, especially around any fixture near the area—tub, shower, sink, washing machine, etc.

Fill up all of your sinks and tubs and then let the water drain while keeping the water running. If the wet area is around the toilet, flush it over and over. The goal is to flood the sewer system as much as possible.

As water is draining and running, watch the localized area for water. If after doing this, you don’t see any water or moisture; it’s highly unlikely you have a sewer leak above the slab.

Fresh water plumbing leak

Unlike your sewer system which only has water in it when you are running water in the house, your fresh water system always has water in its pipes.

A fresh water leak is like leaving a faucet on 24/7. And because of this, you will see water and lots of it, not just moisture or evidence of it.

It’s easy to check for a fresh water leak yourself. Go to the city water meter and open the cover. If you don’t have a meter key to open the cover, you can often get one for less than $10.00 at your local hardware store.

Turn off all the water in your house and watch the water meter. There should be a small circle or triangle in the center of the meter. When you have a fresh water leak, that detector will be moving or spinning.

If that meter is not spinning or moving at all, rest assured that there is no fresh water leak.

Monitor the meter for 5 minutes or more to make sure it doesn’t move. If there is no triangle or circle, watch the big hand of the meter for 20 minutes or so for movement.

You can turn on some water in the house before you go out to the meter and observe the meter hand to see how it moves when water is running. This gives you a clearer idea of what you’re watching for.

Slab condensation

The temperature under the slab is often different than the temperature above the slab. And this temperature difference can create condensation or moisture. This is a lot like when the temperature in your car is different than outside and the windows fog up.

To combat this problem most wood floors are installed with a vapor or moisture barrier laid between the wood and the slab. This keeps any moisture created from touching the wood. Unfortunately, some companies neglect to install this barrier which could very well be the problem.

We have also seen instances where an area rug or a chair mat for desk chairs create condensation. Any place where the humidity is high, or there is a lack of air flow could easily create this problem.

Wood floor acclimation

Before hardwood floors are installed, they should be brought into, spread out, and left for at least a few days—or the manufacturer’s recommended time—in the rooms they are to be installed.

This is so the wood will adjust to environmental conditions such as altitude, temperature, humidity, etc.

If wood floors are not allowed to acclimate to these weather variations, it’s possible it will warp after installation. Although this is not the most common reason for wood floor problems, it’s certainly a possibility that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Outside sprinkler system

Sometimes water from outside gets inside the home and causes the formation of moisture or other hardwood floor problems. A couple ways this happens are from sprinkler systems and/or rain.

To check for this, turn on your sprinkler system and see if a

Even if the water is not spraying on or in the house, it’s could be pooling in an outside area and then flowing into the house. So make sure you check for pooling spots as well as any sprinkler heads spraying on the house.

Now let’s talk about rain water. First you want to make sure there aren’t any leaks from the roof, fireplace, chimney, walls, etc. If you don’t find any leaks, it could also be rain water pooling like with the sprinkler system.

Rain

When it rains, especially during a heavy downpour, look around outside to make sure that water isn’t pooling anywhere next to the house. And if it is, make sure the water is flowing away from the house. Also check all outside walls, chimney areas, etc. to make sure that water is not entering the house and pooling on the floor.

One other important thing to keep in mind—especially with brick homes—there should be 2 inches of concrete showing at the point where the slab and the bricks meet. This is called a brick ledge.

The soil in this area should be sloping away from the house and not towards it. If that 2 inches of concrete is not showing, or if the soil is sloping towards the house, or is flat and not sloping at all, contact a good rain water drainage expert to evaluate and determine what to do about it.

The True Cause of Your Flooring Problems

The truth is most of the calls we get about flooring problems are not plumbing related at all. With this in mind, we hope this information has given you some ideas about what to check and will ultimately lead you to the real issue causing your problem.

You don’t want to waste time contacting the wrong people. You’ll get your problems fixed sooner rather than later when you know who to call.

If you think you have a plumbing problem causing your flooring issue, or you have any questions, comments and/or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us at 972-494-1750 or [email protected].

We’re always happy to help!

ny of the heads are spraying directly at the house. Also go inside while the sprinklers are on and check for any water getting in the house.

Even if the water is not spraying on or in the house, it’s could be pooling in an outside area and then flowing into the house. So make sure you check for pooling spots as well as any sprinkler heads spraying on the house.

Now let’s talk about rain water. First you want to make sure there aren’t any leaks from the roof, fireplace, chimney, walls, etc. If you don’t find any leaks, it could also be rain water pooling like with the sprinkler system.

Rain

When it rains, especially during a heavy downpour, look around outside to make sure that water isn’t pooling anywhere next to the house. And if it is, make sure the water is flowing away from the house. Also check all outside walls, chimney areas, etc. to make sure that water is not entering the house and pooling on the floor.

One other important thing to keep in mind—especially with brick homes—there should be 2 inches of concrete showing at the point where the slab and the bricks meet. This is called a brick ledge.

The soil in this area should be sloping away from the house and not towards it. If that 2 inches of concrete is not showing, or if the soil is sloping towards the house, or is flat and not sloping at all, contact a good rain water drainage expert to evaluate and determine what to do about it.

The True Cause of Your Flooring Problems

The truth is most of the calls we get about flooring problems are not plumbing related at all. With this in mind, we hope this information has given you some ideas about what to check and will ultimately lead you to the real issue causing your problem.

You don’t want to waste time contacting the wrong people. You’ll get your problems fixed sooner rather than later when you know who to call.

If you think you have a plumbing problem causing your flooring issue, or you have any questions, comments and/or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact us at 972-494-1750 or [email protected].

We’re always happy to help!

Water heating accounts for almost 20% of your home’s total energy costs. So when it’s time to replace a tank water heater, you might be considering converting to a tankless water heater.

However, when we get calls from customers asking for a quote to convert to a tankless, we tell them that—as of 2017—we don’t install tankless water heaters. The main reason being, we don’t recommend them.

Difference Between Tank and Tankless

First, here’s a quick explanation about the differences between these two types of water heaters.

Depending on the size, a tank water heater holds up to 50 or so gallons of water. That water is heated in the tank and used for showers, washing dishes, doing the laundry, etc. As the water in the tank cools and/or the tank empties, it continually reheats the cooled water and/or refills with cold water that then needs to be heated.

A good thing to know about tank water heaters is that over time sediment from the water sitting in the tank settles at the bottom. Over time this sediment builds up.

So as the years go on, it’s possible to have so much build-up that a 50-gallon tank will hold only 30 gallons. This is why manufacturers recommend draining and flushing the tank once or twice a year.

A tankless water heater uses an energy source—electric or gas—and heats the water “on demand.” There’s no tank, so no stored water.

However, a common misunderstanding about a tankless water heater is that it provides “instant hot water.” Unless you have a hot water recirculation pump installed, this is not the case.

Because freshwater systems always have water in them, if you haven’t turned on the hot water in a while, the water in the pipe has cooled. So the cooled water runs out first when you turn on the hot water.

What you get with a tankless water heater is endless hot water, not instant.

Why We Don’t Recommend Tankless

Electric vs. Gas

If your house is all electric with no ability for natural gas, forget it. It is our experience that electric tankless water heaters do not work well for whole house water heating.

Installation

When converting from a tank to a tankless the installation is the most important thing.

If the tankless water heater is not installed or set up properly, it will never work properly. As mentioned above, a tankless doesn’t have a tank so it heats water on demand. In order to heat the water on demand, significantly more natural gas is needed for the tankless.

Many people—including some plumbers—believe you can just swap out a tank for a tankless, and you are done. But this could not be further from the truth.

In reality, if the tankless does not have the correct amount of gas supply hooked up to it, it will not work properly. Ever.

The venting of a tankless is also completely different than a tank, therefore it requires changes during the installation process. And without the right venting, a tankless unit won’t run as efficiently as intended. This can shorten the lifespan of the unit.

Gas Supply

An important question to consider: does your home gas system supply enough gas to properly power a tankless water heater. Make sure you take into account all the other gas-powered appliances in your home. If not, there is no way to properly install a tankless.

And another major concern is will the average plumber spend the time to figure this out before installing the tankless? Our answer is no!

Price

The average cost of just the tankless water heater itself is 2 to 3 times more than a tank water heater.

Then add the cost of installation and converting everything properly by a company with enough experience and a great reputation with tankless. You’re now looking at least 3 to 4 times more than replacing and reinstalling a tank water heater.

Environmentally Friendly/Utility Savings

Because tankless water heaters heat on demand, you save on utilities making it environmentally friendly. However, the amount of utility savings over the life of the tankless will never even come close to the extra money paid.

Lifespan and Ongoing Maintenance

A tankless water heater will only last as long as a regular tank water heater before it has to be replaced.

Now to be fair, the replacement should not cost as much as the initial installation/conversion—as long as the replacement uses the same gas supply or less than the converted one. But it absolutely will be more than a tank water heater.

Another important thing to keep in mind is the extra yearly maintenance a tankless water heater needs for it to continue working properly. And this maintenance must be done by a certified tankless specialist.

When We Might Recommend a Tankless

Building a new home. If you’re building a new home, it might not be a bad idea to install a tankless.

A new home can be built specifically to the tankless. This means less up-front costs for the materials, labor, and installation compared to converting a home built with a tank.

However, we think there’s another really good option when building a new home. Instead of using a tankless water heater, build a room in the house for the tank water heater where the slab slopes to the outside. Then if the tank water heater breaks, there is no possible damage inside the house.

Not to mention, using a tank water heater is cheaper in the long run when you consider the overall costs of a tankless.

Gimmicky Products and Services

Here at In-House Plumbing, we don’t recommend products or services we won’t use or install in our own homes. And at the time of this writing, we would not install a tankless water heater in our own homes for the reasons above and therefore can’t recommend them to our customers.

Tankless water heaters are certainly growing in popularity. But the truth is everything about how these are pushed and sold to the marketplace is a gimmick. It is designed to make manufacturers and installers a lot of money while not helping the customer at all.

But, if you still want a tankless water heater, we recommend you do your homework.

Research. Research. And research some more to find the right installer. We promise you, the right installer will not be even close to the cheapest.

When you find a reputable and experienced installer, protect yourself and your investment. Check with the manufacturer about everything the installer does. And try to get an installation contract that allows you to try it for a week to a month before you pay the final amount. We also have a guide that we think it can help you find a trustworthy plumbing company.

Most Importantly: Be Careful

We hope this information has helped. If you have any questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us at 972-494-1750. Or email us at [email protected].

If you’ve noticed higher than normal water bills or your water pressure is suddenly not what it use it be, you might have a fresh water leak.

Your fresh water line runs on a pressurized system and is constantly pumping water from the city’s water lines—meaning there is always water running through your fresh water pipes. This is different from a sewer system which only has water in it when you are running water in the house.

Because there is always water in fresh water pipes, if you do have a leak, it’s like leaving the water running all day, every day.

Signs of a Fresh Water Leak

In addition to high water bills and/or a change in water pressure, you might have one or more of the following signs of a fresh water leak:

• Higher electric or gas bills
• Little or no hot water
• Constant sound of running water
• Wet spot on floor
• Standing water in yard
• Warm/hot spots on floor

Read more about these signs and symptoms here to rule out other plumbing problems.

Causes of Fresh Water Leaks

From what we’ve seen, the number one cause of a fresh water leak is electrolysis—an extremely tiny electric current that forms between two dissimilar metals when there is a fluid flowing across them. While this isn’t the case with newly built homes, older homes’ electrical systems were grounded to their copper water pipes which could cause electrolysis.

Another reason for this electric current is the minerals in our water supply. If a metal-like mineral sticks to a spot on the pipe, this with the water flowing through the pipes could cause the current.

Other possible causes could include:

• Slight ding or dent in the pipe during installation
• Possibly defective pipe
• Ground movement – If the pipe was improperly installed with fittings under the slab, ground movement could cause a leak at the fitting. There should be no fittings on fresh water pipes under the slab
• Rare for the DFW area – freezing (in the case of above slab pipe)
• Rusted nail or screw hammered or drilled into the pipe (also above slab)

Many new homes are built with the fresh water lines in the walls and attic but for this post, we are talking about under slab fresh water pipes.

And there are three steps to handling these under slab leaks:

1. Leak detection
2. Leak location
3. Leak repair

Fresh Water Leak Detection

Fresh water leak detection, or determining if you have a fresh water leak, is a much less involved process than it is for an under slab sewer leak.

There are two methods we use to determine if you have a fresh water leak.

One is to look at the city water meter. On the meter there is a triangle, or drip indicator, that will be moving if you have a leak. It also moves if you have the water running in the house. So it’s important to make sure nobody is running water in the house before checking the meter.

The second way is with a pressure gauge. We attach a pressure gauge to a hose bibb on your house, and turn the bibb on. With the pressure gauge attached and hose bibb turned on, we turn off the main water supply so there is no water running to your house from the city.

If the pressure gauge needle doesn’t move, there is no leak. But if it does indicating a drop in water pressure, this means water is escaping from somewhere in the system, and you have a fresh water leak.

Check out this video from our YouTube channel to see what these two different testing methods look like:

Fresh Water Leak Location

Once we’ve determined you have a leak, we need to know where it is. For this we use the best fresh water leak location company in the Dallas area. Find out more about this company and why we consider them a part of the In-House team in this post.

First, they use a pipe locating device to find the lines in your house under the slab.

Then air is pumped into the lines and a special listening device is used to locate the leak. The tech is listening for the sound of the water or air escaping from the lines.

Here’s another video where you can see a live demonstration of this:

Fresh Water Leak Repair

There are a number of ways to repair a fresh water leak under the slab. For an under slab fresh water leak, many companies suggest tunneling from the outside. We do not recommend tunneling for a fresh water leak for a couple of reasons.

Saturated Soil – As we mentioned above, because a fresh water system always has water pumping through it, a leak is like leaving the water running constantly. And in most cases, people don’t realize they even have a leak for at least a couple weeks. Usually, though, it’s a couple of months before the homeowner knows there is a leak.

Because of this, the soil around that leak is completely saturated and like mush. This makes it impossible to make “walls” in the tunnel. So it’s possible the tunnel will collapse into itself making it unsafe for anyone to crawl into and work in the tunnel.

Potential Structural Issues – Because the soil is unstable, there could be problems when digging the tunnel and also when backfilling the tunnel.

This instability could cause structural problems in your home in the future.

What We Recommend

There are a few options available to repair a fresh water leak.

Spot Repair

Our first recommendation in most cases is for us to go through the slab at the location of the leak for a spot repair. Other plumbing companies might try and scare you with horror stories about damaging your home’s foundation or the mess created by punching through the slab.

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However, in our experience, when done right—which we do—punching a hole in the slab does not compromise the integrity of your foundation. Not to mention, even foundation repair companies will punch a hole in the slab in certain situations. Why would they do this if it wasn’t safe?

And with our cleanliness guarantee, you won’t have to deal with a mess made by our crews.

So why then do these companies try to steer customers toward tunneling? Tunneling costs a lot of money which equals more money in the plumbing company’s pocket. So many companies will try to scare you into this unnecessarily expensive option.

Most homeowners will never have to deal with a fresh water leak. And if you do, it’s most likely you only have one. So once that leak is repaired, you shouldn’t have another leak. But if you do have another leak or multiple leaks, there is probably something wrong with the pipes.

In those cases, spot repair isn’t the best choice.

Repipe/Reroute

This option is what we recommend if you’ve had fresh water leaks before or if we find multiple leaks.

With repiping and rerouting, the pipes under the slab are abandoned. The plumber then reroutes new ones in the walls and attic.

Until recently, we strongly recommended against this option. There’s a lot of cosmetic repairs necessary with rerouting. We have to cut through the walls and maybe the ceiling. And plumbers only handle the plumbing so you will have to hire another company to fix the cosmetic issues.

Also if there is a problem with the lines and a pipe bursts or there is a leak, you risk water leaking into the house potentially causing a lot of damage.

However, as most houses are now built with the lines in the walls and ceiling, as time goes on, this is a moot point.

Trenchless Repair

The last option is trenchless. With trenchless, there is no digging, going through the slab, or cosmetic repairs. Instead, a liquid epoxy is pumped into the pipes and creates an inner coating which seals the leak or leaks.

We don’t offer or recommend trenchless repair. At one time, we referred customers interested in trenchless to a local company we had thoroughly researched and trusted. But after 12 years of providing trenchless repair, the company stopped offering this service for a number of reasons, one of which includes the long-term effectiveness of the repairs.

There are one or two companies in the DFW area who still offer trenchless. While we can’t recommend them, we strongly suggest you do your research into the companies and trenchless repair itself. Check out our guide on how to find a trustworthy plumbing company.

Give Us a Call

If you think you have a fresh water leak, above or under the slab, or have any questions or comments, feel free to leave it below this post! Or contact us today at 972-494-1750 or email at [email protected]

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If you have a sewer leak or leaks under the concrete slab of your home’s foundation, it’s possible it could cause cracks in your walls or foundation, sloping floors, or more.

And once you find out you have a sewer leak, most likely it’s been there for a significant amount of time. So it’s in your best interest to take action to prevent any possible or further structural damage to your house.

But if your system is made of cast iron the question becomes: Should you repair the leaks? Or go ahead and replace the pipes?

Repair or Replace Under Slab Cast Iron Pipes

Cast iron pipe was designed to last 50 years. Here at In-House plumbing, we’ve seen a 20-year-old pipe that was no good and 50 year-old-pipe that was fine.

The truth is there are so many variables and factors that contribute to the deterioration of cast iron pipe. And while there’s no way to know when your pipe will go bad, there is no doubt that they will go bad.

The last houses constructed with cast iron pipe in DFW were built around 1986. However, many houses in the area were built using PVC pipe even as far back as the late 1970s.

With this in mind, any cast iron pipe installed under the slab will require replacing in the next 5 to 20 years. If not sooner.

It is important to note that any time an under slab cast iron sewer pipe is repaired, meaning just the spots with leaks are repaired, what was just one problem or leak will be at least 2 problems in the same spot in the future.

The cast iron on each side of the repair will go bad e.g. crumble, crack, break, leak, etc. That’s just the nature of the material. As the metal repeatedly comes into contact with the wastewater that runs through it, it deteriorates.

Full or Partial Replacement?

So with cast iron sewer pipes, especially older pipes, it doesn’t make sense to locate or repair the leak or leaks.

Now we understand not everyone can afford to replace all of the cast iron pipes under a slab at once. This is why some might opt for the repair instead.

But affordability, or lack thereof, makes it that much more important to consider all your options. It’s especially important to take a long-term view rather than an immediate one.

Sometimes it is possible to replace part of the pipe now and some of it later. And sometimes there’s another option altogether.

A Real Life Example

A good example of this is a job we had in Mesquite, TX. The house was 3 bedrooms and 2 baths. At some point in the past, another company tunneled 12 feet starting from the outside of the house at the kitchen sink which was touching the outside wall on the right side when facing the house.

The main sewer line went to the front of the house and both bathrooms touched the left outside wall. The kitchen sink line was basically a straight line all the way across the house to the bathrooms. The washing machine was at the back center of the house by the garage. And its sewer line tee’d into the kitchen line about 20 feet or so from the kitchen sink.

The previous company tunneled the 12 feet from the outside to replace 12 feet of the deteriorated cast iron kitchen line. But that’s all that company did.

Sidenote: If part of the line is deteriorated, how long do you think it will be before the rest of the pipe that was made and installed at the same time becomes deteriorated (if it’s not already)?

They charged the homeowner about $6000 to replace the 12 feet of sewer line.

What We Found

When we came in several years later, we found that there were not only more problems on the remaining 40 feet or so of the kitchen and washer line but at the bathrooms as well.

But what made things worse for the homeowners when we told them what we found during our inspection was when we told them our method for solving their problem. We suggested rerouting the pipe from the kitchen sink line underground into a trench outside of the house — not under the house under the slab. This put the pipe in the front yard instead.

Meaning? The $6000 they paid the previous company and the 12 feet of new pipe was a complete waste. With our repair plan that pipe was abandoned.

Why ReRoute the Sewer Line?

So why abandon the new pipe replaced by the previous company?

Replacing the remaining pipe meant re-tunneling the 12 feet the previous plumber tunneled. AND also meant a lot more tunneling. Not to mention the need to punch holes inside the house and tunneling from those holes for a total under slab excavation of 28 feet or more.

This option costs 3 times more than our suggested plan.

Our suggestion to reroute was far less expensive. And by rerouting this part of the sewer line outside of the house instead of under it, if there ever is a problem in the future, fixing it is easier and cheaper. Future repairs to this new portion of the pipe won’t require expensive tunneling or punching holes in the slab.

So if the original plumber had just rerouted the kitchen line, it no doubt would have cost less than $6000. And it would have eliminated the need for us to reroute it when we did which cost the customer more in the long run.

Then we could have concentrated on the new problems and addressed those for the long term. The owners could have gradually over time replaced the pipe as each part became necessary to replace.

A Trustworthy Plumbing Company

It is important to note not every house is like this one. But looking at each house and problem with long-term solutions in mind is possible and necessary in every situation.

This is why it’s important to find a reliable plumber or plumbing company whose motives are to help you not themselves.

In the example we just discussed, the former contractor did what was best for himself at the time. He did more work for more cost and left himself in a position to do even more work later. Because there was no doubt going to be more problems.

It’s highly likely this contractor believes in the “tunnel only no matter what’ philosophy. So if he tunnels 12 of the 40 feet knowing all 40 has to be done at some point, he can do the 12 now and all 40 in the future. Not to mention the original 12 again if he uses the same access hole at the kitchen sink.

Our Recommendation

Based on the fact that all cast iron sewer pipes will need to be replaced, we strongly recommend that cast iron pipe under a concrete slab be replaced and not repaired.

In fact, we have decided we will no longer locate or spot repair any sewer leaks on a cast iron system. We believe locating or repair sewer leaks on a cast iron system is a waste of time and money for the homeowner.

However, we always look at all possibilities from a long-term point of view based on your specific needs and budget.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns or want a free no obligation estimate, give us a call at 972-494-1750. Or email us at [email protected].

Occasionally, customers call us here at In-House Plumbing worried about water pooling in their house on the floor or slab.

There are many possible causes for this. But many are not necessarily plumbing related.

We’d like to share some examples of what could be causing your mysterious puddle. Armed with this information, you can narrow down possible culprits and get a better idea of who to call to inspect and resolve the issue.

Fresh Water Plumbing Pipe Leak

Your fresh water system runs on a pressurized system. It pumps clean water from the city/meter into your home. The pipes are always full of water and ready to flow once you turn on the faucet to wash your hands, clean the dishes, and take a bath or shower. It also flushes your toilet and is ready when you start the washing machine to do laundry.

If there is a leak above your home’s concrete slab from your fresh water pipes, you will most certainly have water on a floor or somewhere else. And because there is always water in this pressurized system, the water never stops flowing or dries up. Having a leak in a fresh water pipe is like turning on the faucet and leaving it on.

Now it is possible that the puddle is the result of a fresh water leak under the concrete slab. However, this is rarely the case. It’s far more likely the puddle is a result of a leak above the slab.

With a leak under the slab, the water from the leak would have to build up enough to the point that it needs to find a path out. An under slab leak resulting in a puddle on your floor would mean that the only path out was up. Add to that the water then had to make it through 4 or 5 inches of thick concrete slab.

Again, while it is possible and has happened from time to time, keep in mind water typically flows downhill and not up. So it’s unlikely the only path out is up. Also there would already have to be some some sort of crack running all the way through the slab.

So what you want to look for here is if the puddle is the result of water that is continually flowing. If a particular area is flowing non-stop for a minimum of a few days—and it is not raining outside—it is very likely you have a fresh water leak.

The question then becomes is the leak above or below the concrete slab. For this, you most likely need a professional to come out to determine this.

However—while this isn’t a guaranteed method to determine this on your own—if you turn off the water, and the water stops flowing or dries up, that is another sign that you have a fresh water leak.

And if once you turn the water back on, water floods the floor in less than one minute, that’s a good indicator that the leak is above the slab.

Above Slab Sewer Line Leak

We often get calls from clients asking us to check their under slab sewer system for leaks because they have water on or above the slab.

As mentioned above, a fresh water pipe always has water in it. A sewer line on the other hand does not have water in it unless you are running water somewhere in the house like a faucet, washer, or toilets, etc.

Your sewer pipes work with the power of gravity so that the waste and water flow downhill out of your system to the city line and ultimately to the waste treatment plant.

Because—as mentioned above—water flows downhill and not up, and this piping system is not pressurized or full of water, any water that leaks out of this type of system under a slab in mass quantities ultimately leaks back into the sewer system like a rain water drainage system and flushes out.

The only possible way a sewer leak under the slab can cause water to flood above the slab is if the sewer line not only has a leak, but is also blocked so it can’t flow properly. In this case, every time the system is used, water flows to the stoppage.

And with nowhere to go, it forces its way out of the leak and into the soil. But it won’t be able to leach back into the sewer line because the line’s already full from of the blockage.

Then at some point, although most likely not right away, the water under the slab would build up so much that the area cannot accommodate it anymore. It would then have to find a place to go as more water flows into the system. And that place could be through a crack in the slab.

If this is the case, you will only find water on the slab when you use whatever is leaking. Unlike a fresh water leak where the water keeps pooling and never dries up, an above slab sewer leak won’t be constant and might dry up completely.

However, all that said, it is highly unlikely that a blockage in a sewer line would go undetected long enough for it to cause this kind of situation. So, although it is possible, it is very unlikely that a sewer leak below the slab will cause water to get above the slab.

In most cases, if you have water pooling from an under slab sewer system leak, the water will be very close to a plumbing fixture of some kind, like a sink, shower, toilet, tub, or a washing machine.

If it is close to your washer, it could be that the problem is the appliance itself and not the plumbing. Try pulling the machine out from the wall and remove the drain hose which runs from the washer to the pipe in the wall.

Then pour water in or put in a water hose and run water down the drain to see if water leaks out from anywhere. If it doesn’t, reconnect the washer and run it as normal. And if the leak occurs again, the problem is probably with your washing machine and not plumbing.

If your mysterious water is close to one or more of the other fixtures—and not flowing constantly—try not using one of the fixtures for a few days, and see if by not using it the water dries up. If it does, then the problem is sewer drain related with that fixture.

Just make sure you do this one fixture at a time, or you won’t know which is causing the problem.

Tubs and Showers

A standalone shower made of tile has a vinyl shower pan liner under the tile on the floor and about 12 inches up the wall. This is commonly called a tile shower pan.

It is very common for these shower pans to leak. When this happens, it’s a lot like a sewer leak in that it only leaks when the shower is in use. If your shower pan starts leaking, you’ll find water on the floor on either or all sides of the shower. This also includes other rooms that touch one side or another of the shower.

There is one easy way for you to determine if you have a shower pan leak. First, dry all the tile at and around the drain of the shower very well.

Then get some really good duct tape, and securely tape over the shower drain and the surrounding tiles.

After sealing the drain, turn on the water and fill the shower pan up with water. Just be sure you don’t fill it over the step-in curb level so water doesn’t overflow out of the shower.

Once filled, mark the water level and watch it to see if it will drop. Also look around the shower on all sides while you are waiting. Check for any water on the floor if the water level drops. If you see water dripping on the floor, then you probably have a shower pan leak.

However, make sure water is not leaking out around the duct tape. You want to make sure any drop in water level is from a leak and not the duct tape.

But if you filled the pan up to the highest point possible without it overflowing, and no water gets on the floor anywhere (especially if this is a slab foundation), then you probably don’t have a shower pan leak.

Now let’s talk about cracks in the grout or tile as well as tile issues of any kind. If there are tile issues of any kind, it is possible that when the shower is in use water is seeping into the wall and leaking out of the shower from there. This applies to a tub shower as well.

It is also possible that water won’t be visible on the slab initially when there are tile issues. But as time goes on, you’ll start to notice the water.

For tile issues, including missing caulk in the corners, get a good tile and shower expert out as soon as possible to prevent any water leaking issues and mold and mildew issues.

Another possibility to look out for as it relates to tubs and showers is water spilling or spraying on the floor during use.

This could happen for a number of reasons but is easily checked by two people; with one person in the shower and the other watching outside the shower.

You could also try running the shower positioning the head to spray up against the walls—including the door or curtain. Then stand outside the shower and watch for water.

Also check the other rooms next to the wall you are spraying. You want to make sure the water is not seeping into those rooms through the wall.

Air Conditioning Condensation

If you find puddles any time the air conditioning isn’t in use, this isn’t the cause of your mystery puddle.

When an air conditioner is in use, the A/C unit, via condensation creates water which it has to dispose off. Air conditioning units come with a primary drain pan to collect the water. And there is a drain outlet connected to a drain line where the water runs out of.

Normally the primary drain empties into a sewer system somewhere. This could be a bathtub drain or a washer drain if the unit is in the attic. But if it is in a closet, it usually drains right into the sewer system under the slab at the closet, or it will drain literally through the slab to the outside where the main sewer cleanouts are located.

If the unit is in the attic, there’s usually a secondary drain pan called a backup drain pan. It’s installed under the A/C unit with a drain running outside in case the primary drain line clogs up.

This insures the drain pan won’t overflow and flood your home when in use; although it is possible most air conditioning units in a closet do not have a secondary or backup drain pan.

Often these air conditioning drains get clogged. So if the air conditioning is running, it is creating water via condensation. And the water has to go somewhere which would likely be out of the unit onto the ceiling or floor.

So if you see a mysterious puddle near your A/C unit, it’s most likely a clogged air conditioning drain.

The problem here is knowing the right person to call to fix your air conditioning drain. Some parts of a condensation line can only be cleaned out by an HVAC Tech or A/C repair specialist, while some must be cleaned out out by a plumber.

Generally there are two types of pipes; a ¾ inch drain line and a 2 inch drain line. Most, if not all plumbers, don’t have the tools needed to clean out a ¾ inch drain line. Unless you know for sure the clog is in a 2 inch drain line, call an HVAC tech first.

However, if this happens during the heat of summer and the earliest appointment you can get is a week or two out, you can always try a plumber. It’s possible that plumber can solve the problem sooner. But if you do this, stay on schedule with the air conditioning technician. Don’t cancel until you know that the plumber can rectify the issue completely.

Rain Water

If the puddle or area of water only occurs when it rains, your mystery puddle probably isn’t a plumbing issue.

Here are some of the possible causes and things to look out for in these situations. Water is leaking into your home through the walls, chimney, roof, windows, etc.

Another common issue we see is water coming in through the brick ledge; that is the point where a brick wall and the slab meet. There should be 2 inches of concrete slab showing between where the slab and the bricks meet. The brick ledge should slope slightly away from the house.

First make sure the 2 inches of concrete slab—the brick ledge—is showing. Then see if the brick ledge and the soil around it slopes towards the house or if it is flat. If water pools in these areas when it rains, contact a rain water drainage expert. A rain water expert can evaluate your situation and determine what to do.

Also if the puddle is because of rain, you won’t see water pooling on a regular basis. Also why you should call a rain water drainage expert and not a plumber.

Sprinklers and Irrigation

It is not uncommon for sprinkler heads to spray water right onto the house. Check for this problem by running your sprinkler system and looking at each of the heads. Also check the inside of the house for water while the system is running.

It is possible the water might not be spraying onto the slab or wall at all. Instead it might be pooling in an area and causing water to flow into the house. So look out for pooling spots as well as any sprinkler heads spraying on the house.

Neighbor Leaks

Although this is extremely rare, it is possible. There have been instances where a leak from a neighbor’s house causes mystery water puddles in your home or lawn. This could happen if you live at the bottom of a hill and a house above you has a leak. It’s possible that leak is draining down to your home.

Now the DFW Metroplex is pretty flat so this is unlikely. But we included it to show what happens on a neighbor’s property doesn’t always stay on a neighbor’s property.

Ruling Out All the Possibilities

Other things that could cause water to pool around your home are swimming pool leaks or underground springs or creeks. These could cause water to pool around/under a foundation ultimately getting water into a house and onto a slab.

Although these are possibilities, it is highly unlikely to cause any water puddles inside a home.

There certainly are other factors that cause water puddles not listed here. However, anything not in this post is so rare and can only be determined after first eliminating all of the above possibilities.

If you’ve gone through the list and have determined you do have a plumbing problem, or you can’t find your possible cause, feel free to give us a call at 972-494-1750 or fill out our contact form. We’re happy to help!

In our last post, we explained how we test your home’s sewer lines to determine if you have a leak or leaks in your sewer system.

But how do we find out how many leaks you have and where they are? With a sewer leak isolation test.

Sidenote: If a plumber uses a sewer camera to determine you have leaks and/or to locate them, read this post to find out why that’s a bad thing.

What Is a Sewer Leak Isolation Test?

Rubber, inflatable test balls of various sizes attached to air hoses are strategically placed in the sewer pipes under your home. The test balls create artificial stoppages enabling us to isolate certain portions of the pipe.

We then fill each section with water and watch for a drop in water level from an observation point.
This is when a sewer camera is useful in sewer leak detection. We use the camera to place the test balls where they need to be. We also use them for finding the test balls in the line.

Sewer Leak Isolation Test Steps

Now let’s walk through the steps we take for finding the leaks.

This is a bird’s eye view of our example home. And for the purpose of this example test, let’s assume there are two leaks, one at the kitchen sink area and one at the front bathroom area.

First, we will test the section of pipe leading to the back bathroom. We place a test ball in a spot that isolates that part of the pipe and fill that section with water. Once the water is at slab level, we watch at the observation point for a drop in water level.

In our example, there is no leak in that section of the pipe there will be no change in water level. Therefore we know there is no leak. Next we move the test ball and fill the isolated pipes with water to start another test.

With the test ball inflated at the location in the above diagram, we run the water again to fill the pipes running to the back bathroom, the kitchen, and the washer/dryer line.

Since we know there is no leak in the pipe running to the back bathroom, if we see a drop in water level, we know there is a leak or leaks in one of the lines leading to the kitchen or the washer/dryer lines.

Now we need to determine where the leak is, the kitchen or the W/D. Now we leave the first test ball where it is and place another one at the kitchen sink.

The leak at the kitchen sink is blocked off by the second test ball and the lines are still mostly filled with water. We now fill it back up until it reaches the observation point level and watch again for a drop.

In this example, there is no drop so we know the leak is at the kitchen sink. The remaining line has no leaks.

Now we move the original test ball (Diagram 1) to the edge of the house. We fill the entire system again with the kitchen sink leak blocked, to see if there are any other leaks.

Once the lines are filled and we see a drop in water level, we know thanks to the process of elimination the leak is either in the line leading to the front bathroom or the section of pipe from the edge of the house to where we placed the test ball in the second test.

We leave the test ball at the kitchen sink and at the edge of the house and then place another test ball at the front bathroom.

We add water to bring the level back up to the observation point and see there is no drop. From this we can conclude there is a second leak at the front bathroom.

For a video explanation of the this same example, check out our YouTube channel:

Every Case Is Different

Now this is just one example of how we would perform a leak isolation test.

Keep in mind, because every house is different and every case is different, every test is different. For example, the observation points could be the floor flange under a toilet, a kitchen sink, or a bathtub.

Also we don’t guarantee there are no other leaks until we do the repairs and perform another under slab sewer leak test.

There are a number of reasons for this.

It’s always possible another leak occurred between the time we did the isolation test and the repair.

It’s also possible that there was a very, very slow leak when we performed the leak location test but the dirt around your pipes was oversaturated at the time and didn’t allow water to escape.

Or, take our example house, say there’s a leak at the kitchen sink, the W/D, and both bathrooms. Because we have to use test balls to block every slab level observation point, it is impossible to test the rest of the sewer lines. So we would have to repair those leaks first and then retest for leaks in the rest of the system.

Our goal at In-House Plumbing is to find every leak. Some companies come in, find one leak, repair it and leave without testing for more leaks. Check out our guide on how to find a reliable plumbing company to help you.

If you’ve had a plumber come out and use a sewer camera to determine if you have any sewer leaks and to locate those leaks, give us a call for a free second opinion.

Or if you have any questions, comments or concerns, post them below. Or call our office at 972-494-1750.

As we said in our previous post: Sewer Camera Inspection: What It Can and Can’t Find, a plumber cannot perform a sewer camera inspection to determine if you have any leaks in your sewer system.

And if a plumber has told you otherwise, give us a call for a free second opinion.

If you suspect you have a leak in your sewer line, what you need is an under slab sewer leak test. You may have also heard this called a hydrostatic sewer leak test.

How To Perform an Under Slab Sewer Leak Test

Sewer systems are designed to work with gravity, meaning all the pipes are installed at a slight decline. So any water in the sewer pipes runs downhill out of the house through to the main sewer line which is connected to the city’s system or a septic tank.

To test for leaks, we take a rubber, inflatable test ball that is connected to an air hose and insert it into the sewer pipe at the main line cleanout. Once it is in place at the perimeter of your home, we inflate the ball to artificially plug the sewer line so that no water flows past it.

We then go inside the house, pull a toilet from the floor exposing the floor flange—unless you have a dedicated, stand-up shower. In that case, we can use the shower to observe as we would the floor flange.

Then we run the water in the house, from a faucet, to fill the entire sewer system up to slab level and observe the water level at the floor flange for about 20 minutes.

The reason we pull the toilet up and expose the floor flange is to give us a slab level observation point. We can then see if the water level drops or stays at slab level.

Reasons Other Than a Leak

If the water level drops, it might mean you have a leak. But we first want to eliminate any other scenarios that could cause a drop — we call this human error situations.

We go back to the test ball and make sure no water is getting by it. Depending on your system, the plumber can simply look down the pipe and see if any water is running through.

However, if we can’t see down the pipe, this is when a sewer camera comes in handy. We send a sewer camera down the pipe to the test ball location and make sure it’s sealing properly and no water is flowing by it.

If there isn’t any water flowing past the test ball, another possibility we want to rule out are air pockets. To make sure any drops we see in water level isn’t because of air bubbles or pockets, we run the water again to bring it back to slab level and watch for drops.

If the water continues to drop after we’ve ruled out the other possibilities, then we know you have at least one leak under the slab.

What To Watch For With Other Plumbing Companies

If you call a plumbing company and they do any of the following, watch out:

1. They fill up your sewer system with water from the outside with a water hose to test for leaks. Remember, your sewer system works on gravity. So they are trying to push water uphill. We’ve tried this in the past and found it is an ineffective way to test for leaks. After we filled up the sewer pipes from the outside, we ran a sewer camera into the pipes and saw most of the pipes didn’t have any water in them at all.
2. They observe the water level from outside of your house instead of inside. If a plumber tells you you have a leak and never went inside your house, it was impossible for that plumber to know if you have a leak.
3. If you have a sunken tub, or bar sink, or toilet, etc., they use water overflowing as “proof” of a problem and suggest repairs.
4. They use a sewer camera to determine you have and to find leaks.
5. They use scare tactics to try and talk you into repairs as soon as possible.

If any of the above has happened, or anything else that just doesn’t seem right to you, give us a call and we will be happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns you have. We also have a guide for you on how to find a reliable plumbing company to make sure your problem is solved properly.

For another explanation of how to properly test for a sewer leak, check out this video from our YouTube channel to see an example of this:

Free Second Opinion

We know firsthand and from what our customers tell us, there are a lot of plumbing companies out there trying to rip you off. And it’s because of this, we offer a free second opinion test.

If you’re not sure about a test that was done by another Dallas plumbing company or are being pressured into making repairs, give us a call 972-494-1750.

A sewer camera is a valuable tool to help determine if there’s a problem with your home’s sewer system.

Maybe you noticed a nasty sewer gas odor. Or maybe your water isn’t draining as fast as it use to. Or worse, you’ve got an overflowing toilet.

If you’re like most people, you’ll call a plumber for help. And when that plumber comes to your house, more than likely, he’ll perform a sewer camera inspection.

But it’s important for you, the homeowner, to know what a sewer camera inspection can find and what it can’t. Armed with this information, you will know if the plumbing company you hire to come out and inspect your pipes is ripping you off or not.

What is a Sewer Camera Inspection?

First, let’s cover what a sewer camera inspection is. Typically sewer lines are installed under the foundation of your house. There’s the concrete slab which is about 4 or 5 five inches thick and then about 2 feet or so of dirt above the pipe.

To inspect the pipes and find possible problems, a special sewer video camera head connected to a flexible cable is inserted into the main sewer line cleanout, or in some cases, the vent stack and snaked through the pipes. Then the plumber watches on a monitor at ground level to see what’s going on in your pipes.

Here at In-House Plumbing, we use a sewer camera to help us determine what your problem is. However, unlike our competition, we know there are some problems a camera alone can’t find.

What a Sewer Camera Inspection Can’t Do

Despite what many in the plumbing industry think, there are limitations to what a sewer camera sees inside your sewer lines. But there is one thing a sewer camera absolutely cannot see.

Locate Leaks

A sewer camera alone cannot determine if you have a leak or to locate a leak or leaks in your sewer lines. In fact, this is so important, it bears repeating.

While it’s a useful as a secondary tool in a leak location test, a sewer camera by itself cannot be used to to determine if you have a leak or to find a leak.

4 Reasons Why a Sewer Camera Can’t Locate a Leak

1. A leak is water escaping the pipe through a hole, break, or crack. Since the camera is inside the pipe, it cannot see the outside of the pipe. Meaning, it can’t see if something is leaking OUT of the pipe. It can only show what is going on INSIDE the pipe.
2. The plumber is looking at a monitor displaying what the camera “sees.” So the plumber has to interpret, or guess, what he’s seeing. He might think he see something that looks like a hole, break, or crack in the pipe. But keep in mind, this is your sewer system we’re talking about. This is where your waste flushes and runs through. Trust us when we say it does not look good. And all that gunk and waste makes it hard to tell if something is a leak based solely on what can be seen on the monitor.
3. Sewer pipes are usually one of two types: cast iron or PVC, both thick-walled pipes. So something very possibly might look like a hole or a crack or a break. But because the walls of the pipe are so thick, it’s possible what the plumber is seeing does not go all the way through the pipe so no water is leaking out at all. The result: no leak.
4. Particularly with cast iron, but this could also be true for PVC, there are years of buildup on the walls of the pipe. Calcium, soap scum, grease, debris… you name it, builds up on the walls of your sewer pipes. So any cracks or holes the plumber sees could very well be in the buildup and not the actual pipe.

We estimate about 95% of plumbing companies in the Dallas area are using a camera as their primary tool to locate a leak. They come in, run an inspection with just a sewer camera and then tell you you have a leak.

But keep in mind, what may look like a leak on camera may not actually be a leak. And vice versa.

Look at this image taken by another plumbing company and shown to a homeowner.

This is cast iron pipe with a PVC repair. The plumber told the homeowner he had two leaks based on the image alone. But when In-House Plumbing came out to perform our Free Second Opinion leak isolation test, we found there zero leaks.

Everything was working and draining properly, and in our under slab leak test we found zero leaks.

What a Sewer Camera Inspection Can Do

While a sewer camera cannot find leaks, there are certain situations where the camera alone is effective.

Locate Lines

Sewer cameras have location devices that send out a signal. Using a special signal receiver above ground, our plumbers pinpoint where the camera is underground.

Drainage or Stoppage Issues

We call this your “sewer is not working as it is designed to work.”

Sewer pipes work using the power of gravity. The pipes flow downhill so when something goes into the pipe—waste, debris, water—it flows or drains down through your piping system and ultimately ends up at your city’s waste treatment center or septic tank, depending on your particular situation.

However, if something is causing your system to not work properly, in most cases we can use a sewer camera to determine what is causing it. Often in cases like these we find stoppages, blockages, roots, mud, broken pipe, etc.

PVC or Cast Iron Pipe

We determine what type of system you have by running a sewer camera inside the pipes.

Sewer System Connections

With a sewer camera, we can see fittings, tee’s, and other types of connection. We can also use it at the connections to run water. We’re able to see where the water flows to or from and/or comes from one line to another.

Unnecessary Plumbing Repairs

Depending on your situation, a sewer camera inspection alone may not be adequate in finding potential problems. And it is not at all adequate if it’s leaks they are looking for.

The most important thing to know is if a plumbing company does a leak location test with a camera as the only or primary tool, it’s very possible you’re being told there are leaks when there are none. If that’s the case, you could end up paying for repairs you don’t need.

If you suspect a plumber told you, you need a leak repair when you don’t, please give us a call at 972-494-1750. We’re happy to come out and do the proper testing for your system.

And also share this post and help us debunk the widespread belief that sewer cameras find leaks.

And if you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to ask below.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

A water leak is a problem you hopefully never have to deal with as a homeowner.

 

The greatest pain of these leaks is how they can happen seemingly undetected. If you don’t pay close attention to your water bills or sources of water around your house, you could be letting a leak (or leaks) fester for a long time.

Here are some ways to check around your house for any potential water leaks.

Toilet Tank

Water leak detection starts with knowing what devices around your house use the most water. Your toilet uses a whole lot of water, and you don’t want to take a chance on it leaking.

To determine if your toilet is a possible source of a water leak, simply take the lid off the tank. If you hear some irregular hissing sounds, than you have reason to suspect a leak.

There is also a good test you can perform with your toilet tank and food coloring. Simply release a few drops of food coloring into your toilet tank. Wait ten minutes and then check the bowl. If the color has reached into your toilet bowl, you very possibly have a leak.

Water Meter

Your water meter will offer unbiased evidence as to how much water is being used in your home at any given time and is vital for determining if you have a leak.

Make sure you know exactly where your home’s meter is located and shut off all sources of water and appliances that use water. If your meter is moving even with these devices shut off, then it is very likely that you have a leak.

Check Your Faucets

You might not think much when you see your kitchen sink or shower head drip. You might very well just take it for granted and assume it to be a harmless flaw within your home.

However, those are signs of a water leak that you should not ignore. That tiny drip is adding to your water bill and wasting a ton of water as well.

Make sure you pay attention to all faucets for leaks, inside and out.

Monitor Your Water Bill

If you have been living in your house long enough, you should have a sense of how much your water bill typically is. If it has gone up a large amount in recent months for no reason, you might be looking at a leak.

Also, check what your current and recent bills show for your water usage. It is likely that a leak is severely increasing your usage without your awareness.

Keep Constant Track of Potential Leaks

We’re not saying you need stress yourself out looking for leaks 24/7. However, monitoring your home for leaks with some regularity is a great idea. The earlier you detect a leak, the better.

Give Us a Call

If you have found a leak or suspect you have one (some types of leaks, like a slab leak, are difficult to find yourself), give us a call.

Located in Garland, Texas, we are a professional and courteous plumbing company who specializes in under slab leak detection and repair from freshwater leaks to sewer pipe replacement and sewer line repair.

It’s important as a homeowner to know what to keep an eye on. With In-House, you can trust us to do the rest of the work.

We also provide slab leak services in Rowlett, Mesquite, and Plano and the surrounding areas.

Plumbing problems in your home cause many to panic.

You probably have a lot of questions: How did it happen? What do I do now?

Rest assured, others have dealt with the same issues. Chances are even better that a plumbing professional has heard your question before.

Check out some of the most common questions and answers that may ease your mind when plumbing issues arise in your home.

1. Why Is My Toilet Running?

A running toilet that won’t stop isn’t just an aggravation. It can also do serious damage to your water bill.

Fortunately, fixing it isn’t very complicated. The first place to look is the handle-flapper connection. It might need a simple adjustment. Or the fill valve may need to be replaced, which is a little more complicated and may require the services of a plumbing company.

2. Why Is There a Leak and Where Is It Coming From?

You may first notice a leak because of a water stain on the ceiling or a wall. But, when you look for the obvious source of the leak (like behind the wall) you can’t find it.

Leaks can be tough to track down because water can travel far enough away from the original source to make the origin of the leak hard to find. Plumbing leak repair can get complicated, so it’s best not to do this type of work yourself.

3. How Do I Fix a Jammed Garbage Disposal?

There are a couple of points to remember with this question.

First, using an Allen wrench (insert it into the bottom of the disposal and “crank” it) is often all you need to do to fix the jam.

The second point is if that doesn’t work; don’t keep trying. You could cause serious damage to your disposal motor and possibly your electrical system.

If a jam can’t be fixed by a plumbing service professional, then the unit will probably have to be replaced.

4. How Long Does a Hot Water Heater Last?

While it can vary by make and model, most water heaters are built to last for about 10 to 15 years.

One thing you can do to extend the life of your tank water heater is to flush it out once a year. Sediment builds up in the tank over time and decreases its efficiency and the amount of hot water available.

5. How Do I Know If I Have a Broken Water Line?

Some signs of a broken water line include water puddles in your yard, a water bill that’s suddenly much higher than normal, or the sound of running water when your faucets are off.

6. What Causes Low Water Pressure?

Low pressure can be caused by a variety of things, including deposit buildups and other blockages. Ask your neighbors if their water pressure has also been affected.

7. What Are the Differences Between Hard and Soft Water?

Soft water has fewer ions that can cause deposits and other buildups. Soft water, more so than hard water, which has higher concentrations of those ions, protects pipes and prevents buildup.

More Questions?

If you live in the Rowlett or Plano Texas area and have plumbing questions, call our team at In-House Plumbing Company.

We have been serving the area since the late 90s and provide excellent and affordable service.

You can always check our guide on how to find a reliable plumbing company here.