Leak Detection and Repair
The most startling problems are the ones we can’t see. When it comes to protecting your home, quickly identifying and addressing leaks is essential. These pesky problems often hide out of sight, making them difficult to discover.
Thankfully, there are proven ways to discover even the stealthiest of plumbing leaks. Today we’ll discuss how you can uncover these hidden hazards and make your home safe again! Let’s get started.
Leak Repair in House
Let’s think like a professional. How do plumbers check for leaks? While they could pull out a fancy leak repair device and examining every square foot until they find the damage, there’s a simpler way to get started. All it takes is a simple process of elimination.
Isolating the Leak
Begin your search at the water meter. If you turn off all the water appliances in your home and the meter continues to spin, you’ve confirmed the leak. What happens when you shut off the water? Does the meter stop? If so, you’ve confirmed the leak is indeed on your side of the water line. Repeat the same process with your hot water line by the water heater to isolate the problem to the hot or cold line.
Leak Repair Costs
How Much Does it Cost for a Plumber to Fix a Leak?
Unless you discover water actively spilling onto the floor or out of the walls, you’ll probably need to contact your plumbing services to pinpoint the leak. Cost boils down to a couple key factors: required repair time, and ease of access.
Leaking pipes are the easiest and cheapest problem to fix, ranging from a meager $150 to $450 (according to HomeAdvisor). Depending on the location, you may have to pay hundreds more for drywall repairs. The most bothersome pipe bursts may cost thousands of dollars in water damage services.
Prices rapidly climb for problems with the main line and slab pipes, coming in as high as $4000. Plumbers often require specialized equipment, such as a plumbing camera, to locate the damage. You’ll want to coordinate with your insurance to ensure maximum cost coverage.
Insurance Questions
Is a Water Leak Covered by Homeowners Insurance?
To answer this question, we must separate initial damage from resulting damage. A prime example of initial damage is the gradual breakdown of a water pipe. Insurance agencies rarely cover items affected by gradual damage. However, when the pipe suddenly bursts one day and the resulting damage affects your carpet or wood flooring, there’s a good chance that the resulting damage is covered.
What type of water damage is covered by insurance? Potential coverage may include sudden or accidental discharge, backups from the sewer line, and damage caused by storm. Talk with your agent to confirm which of these is officially covered in your policy. An experienced adjuster may also provide some insurance claims help.
Times Your Home Insurance Won’t Cover Leak Repair
- Gradual damage from pipe corrosion
- Water damage enabled by homeowner negligence
- Backflow produced by flooded storm drains (policy specific)
- Leaks allowed by a cracked foundation
Leak Repair Under the House
Hopefully, you will never have to make this scary call to the slab leak repair company. However, it pays to know the signs of a slab leak. In fact, quick action could save you thousands of dollars in interior home and foundation repair costs.
How to Spot a Slab Leak
How can you tell if you have a slab leak? Look for these worrisome signs.
- A surging water bill
- Damp spots in the floors or near the walls
- Mold and mildew smells around the lower areas of your home
- Reduced water pressure in your hot or cold line
- A constantly running water heater
- Cracks in the floor or in the foundation of your home
Again, the easiest way to confirm a leak is through your water meter. After you’ve turned off all appliances and outside faucets, check to see if the meter is still spinning. Should the water continue to flow, call your local plumber and arrange for leak repair.
Schedule Your Professional Leak Repair!
Even a small leak, if allowed to persist, may eventually spiral out of control. If you suspect a faulty pipe or appliance is dripping water somewhere in your home, it only takes a couple of minutes to test your system and restore your peace of mind. Prompt action can save you hundreds, even thousands of dollars in damages and repair bills, so why wait?
Our team at Grateful Plumber would be more than happy to assist you with both pipe and slab leak repair in Indianapolis, IN. Contact our local office at 317-677-4918 to arrange your convenient appointment and get the care your home deserves. You’ll quickly learn why countless homeowners trust us with their plumbing needs!