Slab leak repair

Check the meter first

• Turn off every tap and any appliance that uses water.
• Write down the water meter reading and wait a while without using water.
• Read it again. If the number has moved, water is going somewhere.

A moving meter does not prove a slab leak. Toilets and other hidden leaks do the same, so check the toilets next, then call us. See hidden water leak detection for more.

Could it be something else?

Water on a basement floor has several possible sources, and we tell you which one it is. It can come through the wall from outside, up through the floor from groundwater, or back up through a floor drain. Those call for different fixes. See basement flood protection or sewage backup. A warm patch points toward a hot water line, because the heat rises through the concrete.

How we find it

We start with what you have noticed and where. Then we isolate the plumbing section by section to see which line is losing water, and narrow down where along that line it is. A drain under the floor is checked differently, with a camera inspection. The aim is to open as little concrete as we can.

Two ways to fix it

• Repair in place. We open the floor at the leak, replace the damaged section of pipe and patch the concrete. This suits a single leak on otherwise sound pipe.
• Reroute the line. We leave the old pipe under the floor and run a new line through the walls or ceiling. This can suit a line with more than one problem, or a floor you would rather not open.

We explain both and what each one will disturb, including flooring, before you choose.

While you wait

If the leak is on a hot water line, closing the cold water valve at the water heater can slow it down. If water is coming up quickly, shut off the main and call (416) 489-0000. Move anything you care about off the floor, take photos and let your insurer know about any damage.