Slab Leak Investigation & Line Replacement
When a line under your slab starts leaking, we find which line it is and replace the whole line, so you aren't calling back six months later about the next leak.
Call (321) 626-6153What Is a Slab Leak?
A slab leak occurs when water or sewer lines embedded in or running beneath your home's concrete foundation develop cracks or breaks. In Melbourne FL and throughout Brevard County, slab leaks are particularly common due to sandy soil conditions, high mineral content in water, aging copper pipes, and ground movement from Florida's water table fluctuations.
Even a small slab leak can release thousands of gallons of water into your foundation over time, creating extensive and expensive damage if it isn't dealt with promptly. Shaw Plumbing investigates slab leaks and replaces the failing line throughout the Space Coast.
Warning Signs of a Slab Leak
Warm or Hot Spots on Floors
Areas of your floor that feel unusually warm, especially on tile or concrete, often indicate a hot water line leak beneath the slab.
Unexplained Water Bill Increases
A sudden spike in water usage without explanation is one of the earliest indicators of a slab leak.
Sound of Running Water
If you hear water running when all fixtures are off, water may be escaping from pipes beneath your slab.
Foundation Cracks or Shifting
Slab leaks saturate the soil beneath your foundation, causing visible cracks in your foundation, walls, or floor tiles. Doors and windows may suddenly stick.
Mold, Mildew, or Musty Odors
Persistent moisture creates ideal conditions for mold growth under flooring and in walls.
Why Are Slab Leaks So Common on the Space Coast?
Most Melbourne and Brevard County homes sit on a concrete slab poured directly on the ground -- a method called slab-on-grade construction. Your water supply and drain lines run through or beneath that slab, so when a pipe fails there is no crawl space underneath to catch the water. It escapes straight into the soil under your foundation, often unnoticed for weeks.
Florida's conditions speed up the wear. Sandy, shifting soil moves with the seasonal water table and puts stress on rigid pipe. Hard, mineral-heavy municipal water corrodes older copper lines from the inside out. Homes plumbed before the 1990s with their original copper are the most vulnerable, but any buried line can eventually give way.
How Does a Slab Leak Investigation Work?
Rather than trying to locate one spot under the concrete, we isolate the plumbing one line at a time to find out which line is leaking. Confirming it can mean opening a section of wall or floor.
The investigation is a diagnostic visit, which starts at $185. Once we know which line is leaking, we explain what replacing it involves and schedule the work.
Why We Replace the Line Instead of Patching the Leak
A slab leak usually means the whole line is going bad. When only the leaking spot gets patched, a new leak tends to show up somewhere else along the same line a few months later, and the floor has to be opened again. So we don't do spot repairs on slab leaks. We replace the line.
If the investigation shows more than one line is failing, which is common in older copper systems, a full repipe replaces the aging lines in one project and ends the cycle of recurring slab leaks.
What Is a Bypass?
A bypass replaces the leaking line by running new pipe around the slab instead of through it. The new line usually goes up through the walls and across the attic to reach the fixtures it feeds, so the foundation doesn't have to be dug up.
A bypass is usually a full-day job, so it is scheduled as its own visit after the investigation.
Pipe repair evidence from recent jobs
Slab Leak FAQs
How do I know if I have a slab leak in my Melbourne, FL home?
Common signs of a slab leak include unexplained spikes in your water bill, warm or hot spots on the floor, the sound of running water when all fixtures are off, cracks in your foundation or walls, and mold or musty odors. If you notice any of these, call Shaw Plumbing at (321) 626-6153 for a slab leak investigation.
How much does a slab leak investigation cost?
The investigation is a diagnostic visit, which starts at $185. If it confirms a slab leak, replacing the line is quoted and scheduled as a separate job. Call (321) 626-6153 to schedule an investigation.
Does a slab leak investigation mean opening my floor?
Sometimes. We find the leaking line by isolating the plumbing one line at a time, and confirming it can mean opening a section of wall or floor. The fix itself, a bypass, runs the new line through the walls and attic so the slab doesn't have to be dug up.
What causes slab leaks in Florida homes?
Slab leaks in Brevard County are commonly caused by corrosion of copper pipes from Florida's hard water and high mineral content, shifting sandy soil conditions, ground movement from water table changes, and normal wear and tear on aging pipes. Homes built before the 1990s with original copper plumbing are especially at risk.
Can a slab leak damage my foundation?
Yes. A slab leak can cause serious structural damage if left untreated. Water saturates the soil beneath your foundation, causing it to shift, crack, or settle unevenly. This can lead to cracked walls, sticking doors and windows, and uneven floors. The longer a slab leak goes unrepaired, the more expensive the repairs become.
Do you repair just the leaking spot?
No. A slab leak usually means the whole line is wearing out, and patching one spot tends to lead to a new leak down the same line a few months later. We replace the failing line with a bypass through the walls and attic. If several lines are failing, a full repipe is the better fix. Call (321) 626-6153 to discuss your options.
Need a Plumber?
Call Shaw Plumbing.
Fast, reliable plumbing services for Melbourne and all of Brevard County. 36 years of plumbing experience, serving the Space Coast since 2017. Licensed and insured.