Have you heard of the name Hippolytus de Marsiliis while perusing 16th century literature? Maybe you have, maybe you haven’t; but here’s why you need to know about him: he devised a Chinese water torture technique that’s still prevalent today. It involved singular droplets falling on the person being interrogated at regular intervals.
The stress of having water droplets hit their forehead incessantly was enough to drive them mad. The pattern these drops fall in can induce varying degrees of torture.
Does that ring a bell?
People who’ve dealt with slab leaks know this feeling all too well. They also know the drill; endless phone calls to their plumber, bucket after bucket of leaking water, wet puddles on the floor all day—the list goes on…
But it’s time to stop this madness. Nobody deserves to live in this torturous state. If you’re dealing with slab leaks at home, you need an instant solution. But in order to pick the right option, you need to know your options first.
Insurance
Knowing that your house is insured slashes your stress in half instantly. While plumbing problems dampen your daily joy and affect your quality of life, they’re also a major strain on your income. Like it or not, you’ll have to pay for whatever damage you suffered IF your house isn’t insured.
The first and foremost solution to slab leaks and other plumbing disasters is to check your insurance. Renew it, if need be. Moreover, call and confirm if it covers water damage restoration.
Your homeowners insurance policy is a blanket safety net for all future plumbing issues. It may not cover the cost of repairs wholly, but will fund a slab leak detection service at least. In short, it’s an investment in future security.
Spot Repair
You’re in luck if the leak is relatively easy to track and access. It’s much easier to work on a small section of a leaking pipe than hacking the entire concrete structure of the house. The latter is a common commercial plumbing treatment, especially for warehouses.
However, for residential clients, the problem is a little different. Homeowners are not so keen on paying for floor/ceiling restoration, on top of repair costs.
They want to avoid extra expenses, even settling for the bare minimum. Spot repairs allow for temporary fixes until the next leak appears.
However, your insurance company may ask for a complete piping renewal for it to continue covering you.
Re-Piping
This may be costly, but it’s definitely a preferred solution for slab leak repairs. It’s best to abandon old, rusted piping and install new pipes around the edge of the slab. This requires professional expertise; jackhammering concrete slabs and then restoring them, while taking extra care to match the existing floor is a gargantuan task to undertake alone.
An added benefit of re-routing plumbing channels with new pipes is the ease of inspecting and repairing in the future. Since the new pipes are easily accessible, further plumbing problems won’t require extensive repairs.
And with new pipes, you have the option of switching to better quality and more durable plastic pipes. As opposed to copper pipes that oxidize and corrode more easily, plastic pipes are more cost-effective and reliable.
Pipe Lining
Epoxy coating for pipes is also an alternative solution to this problem. You can get the insides of your plumbing pipes lined with a thin non-toxic layer to seal off pinholes and minor leaks.
This is a better way to ‘cure’ the slab leak in its place as opposed to repairing it. With solid reinforcement, there are higher chances of preventing leaks and getting the job done within your budget.
If you’re looking for the best slab leak repair service in Fort Worth, come to us. We won’t disappoint!
