Most Arizona homes are built on a concrete slab foundation and many unfortunate homeowners have experienced the effects of slab leaks underneath their home's foundation. The traditional remedy for a slab leak is to locate the leak, remove the flooring above the leak, jack hammer the concrete slab to expose the pipe, repair the leak, test the repair, repair the slab, and repair the flooring.

How do you know if you have a slab leak?

The most common symptoms of a slab leak are those you can see, hear, or feel. Symptoms can include a warm spot on the floor, wet or flooded flooring, soggy or flooded landscaping, decreased shower or faucet water pressure, dirty or sandy water, persistant hissing heard at angle stop or under flooring. We use electronic leak detection equipment to pinpoint the source of slab leaks and can also test the rate of pressure loss to estimate the size of the leak.

What could cause a slab leak?

The causes of slab leaks can be attributed to a number of possibilities. Before concrete slab foundations are poured, soft copper is laid in utility trenches according to design. Sometimes the soft copper can be kinked, over-bent, or dented. Also, the copper pipes may come into contact with other metalic materials which may cause a galvanic reaction; an electric exchange between two dissimilar metals. Aggressive water chemistry is another factor that is gaining more attention as a cause of pipe failure. Essentially, the chemicals which are used to make public water safe to consume are also leading to an adverse electro-chemical reaction. These reactions can cause de-filming of the beneficial mineral lining in copper pipes and expose the bare copper piping and soldered joints to the aggressive water supply.

Pex tubing is not affected by aggressive water chemistry. With Pex tubing, the water supply piping beneath your home's foundation is protected by a proven technology that is widely accepted throughout the United States. This will extend the life of your pipes for many years to come. Its advantages are many. It is generally not affected by water quality. It's freeze-tolerant. It does not corrode nor leach anything into the water. It tends to quiet plumbing and eliminate water hammer. It is also substantially less expensive to install.