What is a Slab Leak?

admin 27 Jan 2023 0 Comments

What is a Slab Leak?

Slab leaks can be a serious problem for homeowners, as they can cause significant damage to a property and be costly to repair. A slab leak occurs when a pipe in the concrete foundation of a building springs a leak. These leaks are often caused by corrosion, shifting soil, or other factors that put stress on the pipes.

One of the most common signs of a slab leak is the presence of water on the floor or foundation of a building. This can appear as a damp spot, a puddle, or even standing water. Other signs of a slab leak include the sound of running water when all the taps are off, an increase in the water bill, and a decrease in water pressure.

Thermal image of a slab leak pulling water through a hot water manifold

Do You Suspect a Slab Leak?

If you suspect that you have a slab leak, it is important to call a professional plumber as soon as possible. Slab leaks can cause serious damage to a building's foundation, as well as mold growth, which can be dangerous to your health. A professional plumber will be able to locate the leak and recommend the best course of action to repair it.

The repair of a slab leak can be a complex process, and it is important to hire a skilled and experienced plumber. The plumber will first locate the leak using specialized equipment such as a pipe locator. Once the leak is located, the plumber will recommend the best course of action for repair. This may involve digging a trench in the slab to access the damaged pipe and repair or replace it.

Flooding from a slab leak in a hoarder house

In some cases, the plumber may recommend re-piping the entire building to prevent future leaks. This can be a costly and invasive process, but it is often the best long-term solution.

Slab Leak Prevention

Preventing slab leaks is the best way to avoid the potential damage and costly repairs they can cause. Regularly checking the pipes for signs of corrosion or wear, fixing leaks as soon as they are found, and having regular plumbing inspections can help prevent slab leaks from happening in the first place.

Slab leaks can be a serious problem for homeowners, but with the help of a professional leak detection company, the leak can be located and repaired quickly. It is important to address slab leaks as soon as possible to avoid the potential damage and costly repairs they can cause. Regularly checking the pipes and having regular leak detection inspections can help prevent slab leaks from happening in the first place.

OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our company. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation, serving Southeast Florida, based out of Boca Raton, and the surrounding communities, is a family owned and operated company that was founded on the principal of providing the best customer service with a strong commitment to excellence. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation has been serving residents for leak detection, repair and water damage remediation for over two decades. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation was started with the commitment to exemplify knowledge, honesty and customer service to our clients. Even after over two decades in the leak detection & emergency remediation industry not much has changed in our commitment to excellence.

Our expertise lies in leak detection of residential plumbing systems. We also specialize in water damage remediation working for homeowners and insurance companies alike. Our team of highly skilled technicians is available in South Florida serving Martin County, Palm Beach County, Broward County & Miami-Dade County. OC Leak Detection offers trucks completely stocked to get to you when you need us the most, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

OC Leak Detection Team
866.523.3303

Window Leak in Hallandale, Fl (Water Damage Mitigation Process)

admin 23 Jan 2023 0 Comments

Hallandale Fl. Home Suffers Water Damage from Window Leak | ( Water Damage Mitigation Process )

One of the most common sources of water damage we see in Hallandale, Fl. and the surrounding areas is water damage from a window leak. It is a usually a very easy leak to find with the use of a thermal imaging camera and typically the water mitigation process is quick and simple.

This project was a newer home located in Hallandale Beach where we were called out to investigate wet carpet after a storm. The first thing we do in this type of water leak detection is to use a thermal imaging camera. Our camera of choice is always the Flir Brand and in this particular project we used the Flir E40bx.

Once we were able to look at this wall and carpet with the Thermal Camera, it was obvious from the location and height of the water that the window was the culprit. This project would need water mitigation in order to dry the project out correctly and test the window to see the actual leak occur.

A price for the water damage remediation project was given to the homeowner and after approval we got started on the demolition process.

Now Time for Water Mitigation in this Hallandale Home!

Being a newer home in Hallandale (15 years old) we were not required to test for Asbestos, so we got right to work. The first thing we did here was moisture mapping as usual, that is using a moisture meter to see all the hidden locations of water damage and mark them so that we can place our cuts to the drywall in a manner that allows us straight lines and faster repair for the drywall contractor.

The mitigation process here would start by pulling back the wet carpet. Because the carpet was only wet a few feet in, we were able to do what we call a lift and dry of the carpet itself and just remove and dispose of the water logged carpet padding. In older homes, sometimes the carpet cannot be restretched because of its age, but because this was a newer home in Hallandale, this carpet could easily be reinstalled. Once the carpet was pulled back and the padding was removed, we could see that the carpet tack strips were also in great shape and just needed to be dryed in place other than removing them completely.

Now that the carpet is out of the way, we can make our cuts to the sheetrock and expose the interior of the wall. Inside the wall showed that this window had been leaking for quite awhile and although did not grow much mold, it created a lot of rot to the wood furring strips that are against the block wall. These were rotted to the point where some of them were falling off, but it is ok because they are very easily replaced.

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 25

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 24

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Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 16

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 14

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 19

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Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 13

Water Mitigation Complete, Time to Confirm the Water Leak

Once were able to mitigate the water damage completely and get everything cleaned up, we were then able to move on to leak testing the window again in order to confirm the cause of the water damage. This particular window it was pretty obvious that the window was leaking because of the staining on the block work as well as the water trail. We could see on this particular window that inside the track, the screws that secure the window frame to the framing, the caulking had come off. This is one of the most common causes of window leaks in Hallandale and the surrounding areas in Florida that see a lot of wind driven rain. After testing our theory, we were able to replicate the leak and were able to see water quickly coming down the block work.

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 15

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Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 18

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Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 9

Now that the water leak has been confirmed, we continued the dryout process which lasted the typical 3 days. The homeowner scheduled a window company located in Hallandale to come out and weatherproof the window as well as the other windows on the house to prevent the same problems in the future!

Pro Tip*
When you see water, dont clean it all up, just prevent further damage from occuring. When you dry up all the water you are then removing the evidence of the leak. This makes the water leak detection more difficult at times and sometimes causes the process to be longer.

Hallandale Water Damage Mitigation - Image 2

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Hallandale, Fl. Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our company. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation, serving Hallandale, Fl. and the surrounding communities, is a family owned and operated company that was founded on the principal of providing the best customer service with a strong commitment to excellence. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation has been serving residents for leak detection, repair and water damage remediation for over two decades. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation was started with the commitment to exemplify knowledge, honesty and customer service to our clients. Even after over two decades in the leak detection & emergency remediation industry not much has changed in our commitment to excellence.

OC Leak Detection Team
866.523.3303

Miami Beach Water Leak Causes Major Water Damage

admin 23 Jan 2023 0 Comments

Miami Beach, Fl. Water Leak Causes Major Water Damage to Apartment Below (Part 1)

On this water leak detection in Miami, Fl. our leak detection company was called out to locate the source of water damage on a first floor unit of a two story condo complex. In this case the tenant was noticing water coming up through the tile floor. Upon initial leak detection with our Flir Thermal Imaging Camera, we quickly noticed that the water damage was originating in the unit above. Because of continuos storms coming through the Miami Beach area at this time and the location of the water damage, we suspected a door or window leak from the above unit.

Unfortunately, in this condo complex in Miami, we were not granted access to the unit above and were forced to speculate on the root cause of the water damage. Walking around the rear of the building, we could see that the unit above has a sliding door in this area and we suspected the eastern corner of the sliding glass door to be the culprit of the water damage on the unit below. Because of the age of the building, we had no choice but to test for asbestos prior to any remediation efforts. This issue was put off by the owner for a short while and the project was put on the back burner.

Miami Water Damage Remediation Finally Approved

After 3 to 4 weeks we received word that the Asbestos Reports show that the property was negative for Asbestos and our estimate was approved to start the water damage remediation. Now that we are on site, we were relieved to see that there was no visible mold growth and mold remediation was unnecessary. The next problem was that we were still not granted access to inspect the unit above to perform our leak detection services. The owner above did inform us that they had a contractor inspect the unit and sliding glass door above and guaranteed that our leak detection was incorrect but applied caulking to the sliding door anyways. We were forced to move forward under that assumption and go forward with water damage remediation and see what we find.

Unfortunately in Miami condo complex's, a lot of people do not want to accept liability and would prefer to move forward with their eyes closed. Dealing with issues like this prolongs the water damage remediation and just ends up becoming more of a costly project.

Now that we can finally get into the water damage remediation process, we move forward as normal. First step we always take is protecting resident belongings, covering things in plastic, protecting flooring as well as moving furniture out of the way. Now that the prep work is done, time to see whats in these walls!

As always, we begin by moisture mapping all the wet water damaged areas in the room. Luckily for the owner of this unit, the water damage was not horrible and only affected two walls....or so we thought! Once the moisture mapping was done, we were able to mark all of our cuts that we would be making. We proceeded to remove curtain bars, electrical plate covers as well as baseboards and the wood paneling that this unit had on the wall that divided between the two connected ground units. Once all of our cuts were made, problems were starting to become visible....

Once the walls were open, we could see that this issue has been ongoing for years and remediaiton attempts had been made in the past, but very poorly. One of the wood studs on the seperating wall was completely rotted and falling out of the wall. Another issue was that the connecting wall of the other unit on the lower floor was soaking wet. After informing the property manager, we found out that both lower units are owned by a single owner that did not live in Miami. Fortunately we were able to get quick access into the second unit and found that this unit was even worse than the unit we were working in.

One Miami Remediation Becomes Two

As per usual, we provided our leak detection services on the connecting unit as well and provided a water damage remediation estimate. It made sense to remediate these two unit at the same time. Once our estimate was approved, we began work on this unit as well.

Unlike the original tenant, this tenant decided to live in his unit, so we provided him with a simple dust containment that also allowed him to feel separate from the other open unit. Once all cuts were made and the area was cleaned and treated, we continued on inspecting from below exactly where the water was coming into the unit from above. Because of all the rot from above, we could visibly see the sliding glass door sliding track from below and it was completely rotted out. Our first suspicions were correct, and the sliding glass door was the culprit. Unfortunately, the owner above also did not live in Miami, so any repairs of this issue would prove to be slow, extremely slow....2 months slow. This would leave the area open to further water damage from storms, and at this point we had a Hurricane brewing in the Atlantic. Our next option would be to attempt to seal the frame from below and continue drying the unit.

After everything was sealed up and cleaned, we went on to replace the drywall nailer between the two units so that the reinstallation of drywall would be an easy task. One other step we took because of the problem above was to seal all wood framing with a anti fungal paint that would not allow mold growth in the future. Drying of the project was continued until everything was bone dry and the remediaiton equipment was removed. Unfortunately, that was not the end of this project in Miami....Look for Part 2 to this horror story coming soon!

Miami Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our company. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton, serving Miami Beach, Fl. and the surrounding communities, is a family owned and operated company that was founded on the principal of providing the best customer service with a strong commitment to excellence. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton has been serving residents for leak detection, repair and water damage remediation for over two decades. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton was started with the commitment to exemplify knowledge, honesty and customer service to our clients. Even after over two decades in the leak detection & emergency remediation industry not much has changed in our commitment to excellence.

OC Leak Detection Team
866.523.3303

Storm Causes Water Damage in Boca Raton, Fl….Leak Detection & Remediation Services Provided

admin 21 Jan 2023 0 Comments

Water Damage in Boca Raton, Fl Caused by Massive Storm....Leak Detection & Remediation Services Provided

On this project in Boca Raton, Florida, we were called out to locate the source of a water intrusion from a storm that flooded the master bedroom and caused water damage to the master bathroom as well. The location of this leak was hiding, so we provided our leak detection services first in order to locate and stop the water intrusion and eliminate any further water damage to this home.

The Process of Our Leak Detection Services

As always, no matter what the damage shows, we test everything. This particular leak was obvious but it wasn't. When first walking into the house, this was immediately after a strong thunderstorm had passed through Boca Raton with lots of wind and rain that flooded the streets and houses around this particular part of Boca Raton. Immediately, we used thermal imaging that was showing water damage around the room in the walls and water damage at the master bathroom. At this point we could only see water down low with thermal imaging and began to think that water was coming up through the slab because the exterior was flooded, but upon further inspection, we pulled aside the floor to ceiling curtains and found that water had been coming from a roof leak.

When we can, we always like to contain the area if just to control dust - Boca Raton

Always protecting your possessions - Boca Raton

Once we identified that this leak was the only source and that there was not any further issues on the house that could be causing this water damage, we then got to work protecting the belongings of the customer by covering everything in plastic and setting up a containment to control dust. As you can see in the photos, we did not protect the floor because it was wet and there was a plan to have the flooring company tear it out after we were finished with the water damage remediation.

Start of the Water Damage Remediation

This area of Boca Raton was built in the late 1980's to early 1990's, and we were not required to asbestos test because of the age of the house, so this made the remediaition process a lot faster so that the customers could get on to the restoration and rebuilding process. We first started by marking out all of the wet areas using a moisture meter. Once all areas were marked, we began removing all baseboards in the area that needed to be cut as well electrical outlet covers. We did encounter mold behind baseboards of the water logged areas, but this is normal and minor. We than begun cutting the wet areas out in order to get to the wood furring strips and any wood framing. This process of the remediaiton process is very quick and went very smooth.

Once the cuts were made, all the cut areas were removed and desposed of in order to expose the wood framing. The mold encountered was very minor because the owner had reacted to this leak fairly quickly. Mold sets up very quickly, so always make sure to get the process going fast in order to stop further water damage and save yourself from letting a small water damage job from a storm, turn into a mold rememdiation job which can be costly.

This mold has obviously been here for a long time - Boca Raton Fl

Always keeping our flood cuts clean and even - Boca Raton

Boca Raton Storm Damage

Like all Florida, Boca Raton experiences wind, rain, extreme sun and even cold. These storms pop up and often cause damage to roofing over time, and this house in Boca Raton was no exception. Opening the wall we could see that this roof leak had been causing water damage over quite some time, it just wasn't enough damage to be noticed on the flooring. Finally the leak gave way and the wind and rain was right, which allowed a large quantity of water so come into the house causing this water damage.

To continue on, we finished cleaning out any mold, drywall screws and nails and packed out all the debris. Our next step was to treat all of the wood framing with anti-microbial which neutralizes mold spores not allowing any continue growth. once everything was treated, a final cleaning of the area was performed and dryout equipment was placed for 3 days (which is average) in order to bring the moisture content in all of the wood framing members down to 0%. In all, this project was a total of 4 days, 1 day for demolition and 3 days for the drying. This is a standard for most projects in the Boca Raton area.

Now the equipment will sit for roughly 3 days while everything drys - Boca Raton

Using Dehumidifiers and Fans to dry the project quickly

Boca Raton's Slab Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our company. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton, serving Boca Raton, Fl. and the surrounding communities, is a family owned and operated company that was founded on the principal of providing the best customer service with a strong commitment to excellence. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton has been serving residents for leak detection, repair and water damage remediation for over two decades. OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediaiton was started with the commitment to exemplify knowledge, honesty and customer service to our clients. Even after over two decades in the leak detection & emergency remediation industry not much has changed in our commitment to excellence.

OC Leak Detection Team
866.523.3303

5 Symptoms of a False Slab Leak

admin 03 Aug 2020 0 Comments

5 Common Signs of a False Slab Leak!

One of the most common things we see as slab leak detection expert's in South Florida is people thinking they have a slab leak, but really don't! If you do not know what a slab leak is, here is a link to an article of ours called, Slab Leak’s Torment South Florida. This will get you on track.

Thinking you have a slab leak is very common, almost the majority of our calls. Most commonly customer's receive notices from their water district saying they are using too much water and most likely have a leak. Let's go over the Top 5 things we find from customers who think they have a slab leak but really don't, this could save you big $$$.

Symptom #1 - Running Toilet Fill Valve

Probably the most common call we get is a customer who thinks they have a slab leak, but their toilet fill valve is running! Toilet fill valves get stuck, they wear out, they just plain don't work most of the time. Not only do they give a false symptom of a slab leak, but we have seen them get stuck open and overflow toilet bowls that are not draining or clogged while people are not home causing thousands of dollars in damage. Before calling a leak detection expert, go through your home and survey your toilets and make sure they are not running. Doing this could save you a few hundred dollar's from a leak detection service call or more.

Symptom #2 - Running Pool Autofill

A pool autofill valve is similar to a toilet fill valve and work exactly the same way. Being that they work the same way, they also share the same flaws. Pool autofill valves are typically found around the edge of your pool under a cover typically similar to a skimmer basket access lid. A lot of times they have a screw holding them in place. Putting your ear to the cover if it is not removable, you may hear a hissing sound. If you do hear that sound, it means that your pool autofill is running. This type of water loss just like a toilet can equate to hundreds of gallons of water being wasted and trick you and your water district into believing you have a slab leak.

Symptom #3 - Running Water Filtration System

Water filtration systems that can cause a false symptom of a slab leak are those that have an auto cleaning function such as a whole home filtration unit and reverse osmosis systems. Most of these systems are set to auto flush at night which makes it difficult to determine if they are the culprit. We recommend by-passing the unit, shutting the water off or unplugging these systems if you suspect that they are causing the mysterious loss of water.

Symptom #4 - Leaking Mainline

A mainline is the water line that runs from the water meter at the street to the house. This can often included the service line that goes to the irrigation system. Now this is a very common source of water loss, but it is not a slab leak because it is not inside your home. These leaks can be very expensive to fix because the location of the leak typically isn't accessible without major concrete demolition. Call us for a better option and a 50 Year Warranty on a new mainline that is minimally invasive to your home.

Symptom #1 - Irrigation Zone Valve

Irrigation zone valves....so many things can be going on with these units and is very often the source of a suspicious slab leak. Zone valves can get pieces of debris stuck inside the fragile diaphragm which will allow water to keep passing through undetected. The solenoid inside the valve can just stop functioning as well. Being that most systems water during the night for more efficient use of water, a faulty timer can also cause these valves to run for way to long which can very quickly add up to hundreds if not thousands of gallons of water loss while you are sleeping. We suggest shutting your irrigation system off and hand watering your plants in order to see if you are still losing high amounts of water.

OC Leak Detection, South Florida's Slab Leak Repair Expert's

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to our company. OC Leak Detection is a family owned and operated company that was founded on the principal of providing the best customer service with a strong commitment to excellence. OC Leak Detection has been serving residents for leak detection and repair for over two decades. OC Leak Detection was started with the commitment to exemplify knowledge, honesty and customer service to our clients. Even after over two decades in the plumbing emergency and repair industry not much has changed in our commitment to excellence.

Our expertise lies in leak detection of residential plumbing systems, pool and spa systems and the repairs of the leaks we find. We also specialize in water and mold damage remediation working for homeowners and insurance companies alike. Our team of highly skilled technicians is available in South Florida serving Martin County, Palm Beach County, Broward County & Miami-Dade County. OC Leak Detection offers trucks completely stocked to get to you when you need us the most, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

OC Leak Detection Team
866.523.3303

Author: admin

What is a Slab Leak?

What is a Slab Leak?

Do You Suspect a Slab Leak?

Slab Leak Prevention

OC Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

Window Leak in Hallandale, Fl (Water Damage Mitigation Process)

Hallandale Fl. Home Suffers Water Damage from Window Leak | ( Water Damage Mitigation Process )

Now Time for Water Mitigation in this Hallandale Home!

Water Mitigation Complete, Time to Confirm the Water Leak

Hallandale, Fl. Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

Miami Beach Water Leak Causes Major Water Damage

Miami Beach, Fl. Water Leak Causes Major Water Damage to Apartment Below (Part 1)

Miami Water Damage Remediation Finally Approved

One Miami Remediation Becomes Two

Miami Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

Storm Causes Water Damage in Boca Raton, Fl….Leak Detection & Remediation Services Provided

Water Damage in Boca Raton, Fl Caused by Massive Storm....Leak Detection & Remediation Services Provided

The Process of Our Leak Detection Services

Start of the Water Damage Remediation

Boca Raton Storm Damage

Boca Raton's Slab Leak Detection & Water Damage Remediation Experts

5 Symptoms of a False Slab Leak

5 Common Signs of a False Slab Leak!

Symptom #1 - Running Toilet Fill Valve

Symptom #2 - Running Pool Autofill

Symptom #3 - Running Water Filtration System

Symptom #4 - Leaking Mainline

Symptom #1 - Irrigation Zone Valve

OC Leak Detection, South Florida's Slab Leak Repair Expert's

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