Precautions to Take to Prevent Slab Leaks

Regular plumbing maintenance in a Naperville home is important for a variety of reasons, one of which is to ensure there are no slab leaks occurring that may be going undetected.

A slab leak, which is caused by leaking pipes located in the foundation of a home, can be one of the biggest plumbing headaches any Naperville homeowner can face.

However, by contacting a plumber to conduct an inspection of the home’s plumbing system, slab leaks can be easily prevented by a variety of methods.

Pipe Inspection

Since leaking pipes are to blame for a slab leak, it’s important to make sure all pipes located in the home’s foundation are in good shape.

Corrosion and abrasion are usually to blame for leaking foundation pipes, so it’s vital that these pipes be inspected and either repaired or replaced if needed. When corrosion happens, holes can form in the pipes and trigger leakage from the pipes.

In situations where abrasion occurs, vibrations that occur when water travels through the pipes can cause them to contract and expand, which can be quite damaging to the pipes.

Don’t Use Chemicals

While there are a variety of drain cleaners available to consumers to help them clear clogged drains, pouring chemicals down the drains can inadvertently result in damage to the pipes.

Therefore, drain cleaners should never be used for this purpose. Since the damage to the pipes can occur from within, this makes it extremely difficult to know just how much damage has been done to the pipes.

If a person finds themselves having rust colored water, chances are good the pipes are corroding from within and should be checked as soon as possible.

Maintain Water Pressure

Because underground pipes have far more pressure on them than other pipes, it’s important to maintain an appropriate level of water pressure in the pipes at all times.

However, due to poor construction methods used during the building of the home or natural events such as earthquakes, it’s very easy for the water pressure in these pipes to become abnormal.

When this happens, certain spots within the pipes may have too much pressure exerted on them, causing them to crack and begin leaking.

If a home’s water bills suddenly become higher for no apparent reason, it’s very possible a slab leak is the reason behind the increase. By using regular plumbing maintenance, situations such as these can often be avoided.

Don’t let a slab leak destroy your Naperville, IL home! Call Jim Wagner at (630) 577-9341 to get it fixed.