A slab leak is something that all homeowners dread for a number of reasons. This sort of leak is one that occurs underneath the concrete slab that forms the foundation of your home. It is just a typical water leak, but it is buried under the concrete and dirt. This means that it can be hard to detect, hard to fix, and that it can go on for a long time before you realize what is happening. If you have detected one, it can even be hard to figure out what you should do to take care of the problem. You may be surprised, however, to find out that you can often do slab leak repair on your own to make sure that your home is in the best possible shape.

The first thing that you will need to do is to make sure that you know where the leak is at. This is usually not very difficult since the water will be coming up through the flooring so that you can both feel and see it at once. When you have found the right place, peel the flooring back so that the concrete is exposed. If you have carpet or laminate flooring, this might mean that you have to cut a hole in the material. Wood can often be taken up board by board so that it can easily be put back down later.

With the flooring removed, drill a hole down through the concrete using a drill bit that is specifically designed for the job. The slab of concrete will be, traditionally speaking, about four inches thick. This does vary a bit from home to home, but you should be ready for it. Drilling all the way through could take some time, so do not give up. You will get through eventually if you have a bit that is well-suited to the task.

When the hole is big enough, you will need to patch the leak in the pipe or insert a new piece of pipe. This can be hard to do since you are working through such a tight window, but you can do it. When you have the leak fixed, you will need to buy more concrete and fill the hole back in. Allow the concrete to dry and then put your flooring back down. Do not do this until you are completely sure that the leak is fixed.