You may notice strange things happening to the floors in your home during the summer. You might have one spot in your tile or hardwood that feels permanently wet, even though nothing has been spilled. Or you may notice a dark spot on your carpet that wasn’t there yesterday. These could be subtle hints that you have a slab leak, or a leak in the water pipes that run beneath the concrete foundation of your house. The leaks can sometimes persist for a while without being apparent since they’re under the floor, but the excessive heat of summer can actually make some of the signs more noticeable as the warmth impacts moisture and pressure. If you don’t address these early warning signs, the problem can escalate, causing structural issues and increased water bills.

Listen for the Sound of Hidden Water

In some cases, even if you don’t notice a visible indication of a slab leak, you may hear one. This sound could be a hushed hiss, a faint burble, or even a silent trickle. The noise may be more apparent when your home is quiet, like late at night or early in the morning. Turn off all the water-using appliances in your house, such as faucets, showers, and the washing machine. Then, listen closely for water running to pinpoint the source of the sound near the floors, particularly in rooms on the ground level. If you hear sounds of water running when none is being used and they aren’t obviously coming from a nearby faucet or room in the house, it could mean a slab leak.

The Mysterious Spike: Monitor Your Water Meter

Your water meter is an instrument that may help you find hidden water leaks, even if you don’t hear any water running. First, make certain that no water is running inside or outside of your house. Shut off the primary water supply. Then, check your water meter, which is typically located near the street inside a box in the ground. Record the reading from the meter. Then, let the water sit unused for a couple of hours. Upon the completion of this time, retest the meter. If the reading has changed and you didn’t use any water, that means a slab leak is possibly the offender. Increased use of water in the summer can sometimes mask a slow leak, so running this test at a time when no use is home will help you spot any silent issues.

The Nose Knows: Musty Smells and Unusual Warmth

A slab leak can cause changes in the physical conditions of your home, such as those you may be able to detect with your non-visual, non-auditory senses. For instance, if water is leaking underneath your slab, you may have higher-than-normal humidity in the soil and even seeping through cracks in the concrete. This additional water can cause mold and mildew to develop, with sometimes a musty or earthy smell to accompany it.

Detecting slab leaks requires some careful observation. Sometimes, the signs can be subtle, or you may not feel 100% confident in what you see or hear. If you think you have a slab leak, it’s highly recommended that you call the team at E Dennis AC Inc. in Newnan, GA to perform slab leak detection services.