SLAB LEAK REPAIR — FIND IT, FIX IT, STOP THE DAMAGE

A slab leak is exactly what it sounds like — a water supply line leaking under the concrete slab foundation of your home. Most Utah homes with slab-on-grade construction (common in Sandy, West Jordan, Herriman, Daybreak, and Lehi subdivisions from the 1980s onward) have copper or PEX water lines that run under the slab before coming up through the floor to fixtures. When one of those lines fails — from corrosion, from a construction-era nick that finally gave way, from freeze damage, or from mechanical settling — you get a slab leak.

Slab leaks are serious because they don't stop themselves. Water pressure drives them forward 24/7. The water washes soil out from under the slab, destabilizing the foundation. It soaks into the subfloor and frames of the walls, causing mold and rot. It spikes your water bill $50-$300/mo silently. Heat from a hot water line leak warms up the floor above it, which is often the first sign homeowners notice.

Signs you have a slab leak

1. Warm spot on a concrete floor — hot water line is leaking. Classic signal
2. Water bill spiked without explanation — 20%+ increase in a month is a hidden leak until proven otherwise
3. Sound of running water when nothing is on — pressurized leak, check the meter
4. Damp baseboards or carpet near an exterior wall — water migrating from slab to wall
5. Mildew smell in the house — water soaking into the subfloor is growing mold
6. Low water pressure house-wide — leak is large enough to affect system pressure
7. Cracks appearing in drywall or floor tile — long-term leak is destabilizing the slab
8. Meter spinning with all fixtures off — definitive sign of a leak somewhere on the supply

How we locate a slab leak

Two tools. Acoustic ground microphone — listens for the high-frequency hiss of pressurized water escaping through a crack. On a typical slab, we can pinpoint the leak within 6-12 inches. Thermal imaging — the heat plume from a hot water leak creates a warm area visible on the floor surface through 4-6" of concrete. Combined with pressure-isolation testing (shutting off hot and cold separately to confirm which line is leaking), we usually have the leak located within 30-60 minutes.

Three repair options — pick based on your situation

Spot repair through the slab — cut a section of concrete directly over the leak, repair the pipe, patch the concrete. Fastest and cheapest at $1,450-$3,850 typical. Best for isolated leaks on otherwise-good pipe. Downside: concrete patch is visible and may repeat if the rest of the pipe is aging.

Line reroute — abandon the under-slab pipe segment, run a new line through the wall, ceiling, or attic to the fixture instead. $1,850-$4,850 typical. No concrete work, no repeat leak risk on that segment. Best for single-fixture slab leaks where the reroute is practical.

Whole-home repipe — if the slab leak is on aging copper that's likely to fail elsewhere, or if you've had slab leaks before, full repipe is the permanent answer. $5,500-$14,000 for PEX. Stops the slab leak problem for 50+ years. Best when spot repairs would be throwing money at a failing system.

When insurance gets involved

Slab leaks are often covered under homeowner's insurance — the water damage from a sudden leak (drywall, flooring, belongings, dry-out costs) is typically a covered peril. The pipe repair itself isn't covered (that's maintenance). Slab leaks caught early minimize damage and maximize the insurance-covered cleanup. We document everything with photos, thermal imaging, and repair records for your adjuster.

What Valley does differently

Same-day detection and assessment for suspected slab leaks. Detection fee ($295-$585) is waived when you move forward with the repair. Three repair options quoted side-by-side so you pick what fits your situation. Permit, city inspection, and 10-year workmanship warranty. Quality Service Club members get 15% off detection and repair, plus priority dispatch when time matters.