Using the Latest Technology in Slab Leak Detection

Many houses contain plumbing systems in or under their concrete slab foundations. This protects the pipes from freezing during the winter, but if there’s a leak in the slab, it takes an expert such as those at Leak Finders to go in and make repairs.

Since slab leaks are hidden behind a layer of concrete, they may be hard to notice—at first. It’s important to investigate for leakage if you notice a large increase in your water bill or signs of water damage. Otherwise, the leak can injure the foundation itself, or spread damage to the rest of your home.

Call Leak Finders Right Away if You Notice Any of These Slab Leak Symptoms:

• A sudden increase in your water bill (without a corresponding increase in water usage)
• Water seeping under or around your foundation
• Decreased water pressure
• Damp, warping floors
• A smell of mold or mildew
• Unusual warm spots in your floor
• Hot water heater running constantly
• The last two symptoms are tied specifically to hot water line leaks, though unheated lines can also experience leaks in your foundation slab.

Experience Repairing All Kinds of Leaks

It’s true that a water leak can quickly become a problem for your home. But there are other kinds of leaks that can threaten your health and safety. Many homes are hooked up to other kinds of underground utility lines: natural gas, propane, and sewer. A leak in one of these may constitute a health hazard and require immediate action.

In addition to plumbing leaks, our licensed contractors can handle various utility line leaks. We’re trained to safely and efficiently target the problem. It’s a good thing you have Leak Finders for all your leak detection needs.

Targeted Repair

As with our other leak detection and repair services, we use the latest technology to find leaks in your utility lines. This means we can find your underground lines and any leaks they have faster.

We use several methods to detect utility leaks, as appropriate:

• Electromagnetic locating, where we use a transmitter to tune a metal line to an electromagnetic frequency. From there we use a receiver to track the line underground.
• Ground penetrating radar, which involves pulsing electromagnetic energy into the ground as a UHF or VHF frequency and recording the images bounced back.
• Acoustic pipe location, suitable for detecting plastic pipes or other nonconductive materials underground.

One of these methods, or occasionally a combination, can help us find the leak in your unique situation.

Water Line Leak Detection

Your home’s water line is your source of clean, fresh water. It splits off from a portion of the city’s public water main, which typically is buried beneath your street. Naturally, a leak in the water line means a problem for the water supply in your home.

In Richmond, homeowners are responsible for the portion of water service line within their property, but the city takes care of the portion beyond their property line and under the street. If you suspect a leak but aren’t sure where to look, it’s time to reach out to us for water line repair services.

Consequences of a Leak

Since your water line is under pressure, damage to the line means water will continually seep out of the leak. The rate of leakage depends on the size of your supply line and how large the leak is.

Sometimes, a water line leak is sudden and obvious. If you have a giant puddle in your front yard when it hasn’t been raining, for instance, or if your basement starts flooding, you’ve definitely got a problem. However, even a small leak may result in damp spots and mildew indoors.

Leak Repairs in Hard-to-Reach Areas

Repairing a pipe leak under a sink or within a wall is no simple task for the average homeowner. However, it’s not the most difficult problem that can affect your home’s plumbing. A leak in a different location—beneath a concrete or asphalt driveway, for example—can pose a much trickier repair situation.

At Leak Finders, we specialize in all kinds of leaks and are equipped to handle even below-ground and under driveway leaks. Read on to learn more about how we can help if your home develops a leak under a driveway.

Signs of Damage

It’s possible for water to damage concrete or asphalt over time, slowly soaking through porous surfaces, possibly even causing cracks. However, it’s likely that you’ll notice water soaking or puddling the ground near your driveway first. The water may even find a way to get into your home through the foundation.

As with other leaks, watch out for other signs that can point to a problem:

• An increase in your water bill
• A decrease in water pressure in your home
• A hissing or burbling sound in your basement even when water is not being used
• Any unusual puddles or dampness around your home

Experienced Technicians, New Technologies

Digging around or into concrete can be a messy business. But if you’re dealing with a leak under a sidewalk or patio, you do what you need to, right?

That may be the case for some contractors, but not Leak Finders. We are the Richmond leak detection service with the tools and methods to fix leaks in concrete—without unnecessary demolition or excess digging. Whether working with foundation or basement walls or even under sidewalks, we can determine the exact location of a leak and remove only the material necessary to fix it.

The Source of Leaks

Aside from your water supply line, most of your home’s water pipes are located inside or beneath the structure. Both interior and exterior pipes can cause leaks through concrete, whether the break is inside the concrete itself or the water soaks through from outside.

In basement walls and foundations especially, seeping water can affect the strength of the concrete and cause it to crack with freeze/thaw cycles. We fix this by targeting the source of the leak, then sealing cracks via injection where appropriate.

Using Technology to Find and Repair Leaks

Sewer line breaks can result in major health hazards to your family. Whether black water is leaking into your basement or bubbling up in your yard, the bacteria and odor associated with sewage, in addition to the moisture, means you’ve got a problem that must be solved quickly.

Leak Finders is the Richmond leak detection service that can handle sewer line repairs in your walls, basement, or backyard. We use up-to-date technology to locate leaks and our technical expertise to make sure our repairs are as targeted and non-invasive as possible.

Common Causes

While improper fittings, damage to pipes during installation, or shifting soil can cause leaks in any underground pipe, sewer lines can also be affected by other problems.

Our technicians are trained to detect leak causes common to sewerlines:

• Tree roots seeking a steady source of water
• Abrasion inside the pipes from flushing inappropriate substances (kitty litter, egg shells, chemicals)
• Breaks caused by sagging due to excess moisture

Finding and Fixing Leaks Fast

Whenever you are dealing with gas lines, it is essential to have the help of a professional and experienced leak detection specialist. Though local property owners use gas lines daily for stoves, ovens, furnaces, fireplaces, and a variety of other gas-operable appliances, they often go unnoticed until something goes wrong. When you notice any of the warning signs of a gas line leak, Leak Finders is ready to help.

We Put Your Safety First

There are very important local and state laws and guidelines regarding gas lines. City and county restrictions dictate the type of piping you can use and where it can be laid. All of these regulations are in place to protect residents from dangerous leaks, yet they may still occur, especially in older homes, on properties where gas lines have been improperly installed or where gas lines have degraded due to weather or environmental conditions. When we find a leak, we will take steps to quickly fix the problem to keep you and your family safe. Your safety is our top priority.