Keep the Foundation of Your Home in Good Shape

Precautions to Take to Prevent Slab Leaks

What are the precautions to take to prevent slab leaks in your Little Rock home? A slab leak is a water leak that you have a underneath the foundation of your home.

Little Rock, AZ slab_leak_repair_360It is sometimes caused by old worn out pipes that are installed underneath the slab but in some cases, it happens because of shifts in the earth or even something as simple as changes in water pressure.

If you happen to notice the sound of running water, yet you know for a fact that you have turned every faucet off and you don’t have any faucets that are dripping, you could have water that is running underneath the slab.

Other things to look for include flooring that is bulging, cracking or weak, as well as an exceptionally high water bill for which you can find no other source.

Below are three things that you can do to prevent slab leaks in your Little Rock home and save money in the process.

Water Around Your Foundation

This may sound crazy, but when temperatures get exceptionally high all of the moisture gets sucked out of the earth. This in turn causes the earth to shift. These seemingly minuscule shifts can actually cause the pipes to break, resulting in a slab leak. You can prevent this by slowly watering all around your foundation.

Your best course of action is to create a soaking situation where you are watering very slowly over the course of at least an hour. Ideally, you should do this on a daily basis.

Watch Your Water Pressure

If you have high water pressure, you could be setting yourself up for a slab leak without even knowing it. Sure, high water pressure is nice when you turn on the tap and water comes spewing out at full force but it can really do a number on the pipes underneath the slab.

Over a period of several years, this high water pressure can actually erode the protective coating off of the inside of the pipes, leaving them vulnerable to corrosion.

Once this happens, the water pressure alone can cause them to break. As a result, you should make every effort to control your water pressure so that it is not too strong.

Refrain From Using Chemicals

The first course of action that most people want to take when they find out that they have a clogged drain is to go out and buy chemicals that are designed to get rid of the clog. This might seem like a good idea in theory but the truth is, these chemicals are extremely harsh and they can weaken your pipes significantly.

All it takes is a single use to cause a problem. If you have a clogged drain, try to use the most natural method of handling it as opposed to pouring chemicals down the drain.

As you can see, there are things you can do to prevent slab leaks. It really comes down to being proactive and addressing any problems as soon as you suspect that one might exist. This will help you save money by preventing additional damage to your home.

Don’t let a slab leak destroy your Little Rock, AR home! Call Arrow Plumbing at (501) 753-3838 to get it fixed.

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