<![CDATA[Leak Star

<![CDATA[Leak Star - Blog]]>Sun, 30 Jun 2024 06:38:06 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Should You Cut The Drywall or Break Up Your Floors To Repair a Slab Leak]]>Thu, 02 May 2019 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/should-you-cut-the-drywall-or-break-up-your-floors-to-repair-a-slab-leak

On occassion we are just left standing with our mouths hanging open watching people try to save a few bucks by doing it their own way. For some reason a few despite our excellent reviews, chose to ignore our advice based on decades of plumbing experience. In a few homeowners minds it is better to break open their floors to make a slab leak repair than to cut a few holes in the drywall because they think they can save a few dollars.

We charge $2250.00 for a single line reroute. That is completely abandoning the failing line and rerouting a brand new line. We have not cut into a floor in 25 years, but still some believe they know better. In their defense there are still some insurance companies who recommend it.

Slab leak detection is a complicated process which includes an understanding of how a homes plumbing system may have been installed originally. Since no one can see through a concrete slab we rely on highly sensitive listening equipment. We can actually hear the sound of a leaking pipe spraying. That sounds simple enough, but consider that there are may be as many as 20 pipes running under the concrete slab of an average 3 bedroom, 2 bath house. As you can imagine, these pipes can parallel each other or even pass over each other.

We have had some crazy stories when it comes to slab leak detection. Two pipes running closely together, both making quite a bit of noise, but one louder than the other. It might be concluded that it was the pipe making more noise that was the offender. That would be wrong. It was the quieter pipe making less noise. Water under pressure was spraying from the pinhole leak hitting the pipe nearby. Water shooting through a hole or water at high pressure hitting a metal pipe. Do you see the potential problem?

Vibrational sound from a water leak carry. Those traveling sounds can be heard in some of the strangest places, even across the house. But with expertise, the offending pipe can be pinpointed with a great deal of certainty.

Since we can't see anything to do a visual inspection, we can only narrow down a slab leak to within a possible 2 X 1 foot space. but since we never break up a concrete slab, we may simply say to a customer, that the pipe is here, decribing a very general area. We NEVER map out on the floor where the leak is, because we don't ever use that method and we NEVER recommend anyone break up their floor.

This particular home was built in 1970 and by law in the State of California it requires asbestos testing before we could cut into the dryway. Our cuts are very precise and fairly small, but none the less we could not move forward with the slab leak repair without the asbestos testing. That test would cost the homeowner $400 for which they did not want to spend. They decided they would cut the drywall themselves after much back and forth discussion. At that point we decided to back away and that we wouldn't do the job at all because if there had been asbestos in the walls and without the proper removal procedures, asbestos fibers would have been spread everywhere.

We had no further discussions with the homeowner until we received this picture. And oh my gosh, what did he do??? He decided that cutting the drywall was not a good idea apparently and hired another plumber who was willing to hack up his concrete floor and was unable to find the leak. Not surprised and EXACTLY why we don't do that. It's just not that precise.

When asked what that cost him, he stated it was cheaper than having us do a reroute. How much? $1500, he saved $50! He spent hours, tore up his tile floors, broke his kitchen sink some how and made a HUGE mess. Can't help but wonder what it's going to cost to fix all that compared to repairing a few drywal cuts.

We all have our skills. If you are a qualified plumber then you might be able to make the repair. But if you are anything else but a licensed plumber with the proper equipment, save yourself the headache and the cash, let a slab leak repair specialist handle it.

]]><![CDATA[Water Heater Repair]]>Tue, 16 Apr 2019 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/water-heater-repair

Is water heater repair what you really want to do? Maybe. Especially if your water heater is still under warranty, then you want to contact wherever it is that you purchased your water heater.

However, if your water heater is no longer under water and getting older than water heater repair may not be the best option for you. Surely if your water heater is leaking, water heater repair isn't possible. Unfortunately, manufacturers are looking to have us purchase new water heaters, rather than repair them. There just isn't the money they would like in repair parts.

So more often then not, especially when your water heater is around 10 years old water heater replacement is the best idea.

Water Heater Repair

There are a few times that water heater repair or maintenance might be in order. Your water might not be as hot as you would like is probbably one of the most common problems. If you have a gas water heater, then you might try cleaning the burner and the thermocoupler.

If you have a electric water heater than you could try replacing the heating element and/or the thermostat. Some will suggest raising the temperature. You could, but if it was working fine at one point and now it's not, then things are likely changing and not for the better. You can limp along for as long as you can, but you may find yourself without hot water when you want it most.

Water Heater Replacement

As mentioned earlier if your water heater is around 10 years old, it's getting to be time to just replace it.

]]><![CDATA[Slab Leak Detection]]>Mon, 14 Jan 2019 08:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/slab-leak-detection

A hot spot on the floor immediately makes you shudder. A quick search on Google will tell you that this is very often an indication that you have a slab leak. You shudder again wondering how on earth is slab leak detection performed and then again, what about the slab leak repair once it's been located.

Let us assure you right from the start, that we are not going to be jackhammering up your floor in order to find the water leak in the slab. A slab leak is usually in reality under the slab, in the dirt, with the occasional leak appearing in the concrete itself in locations such as where the water line makes its way up into the interior of your home.

We specialie in leak detection and the technique we use when doing a slab leak detection requires very specialized equipment to listen and see through the concrete slab.

The very first piece of equipment we will use is an infrara that will pick up variations in temperature. Often that is all that is needed to complete your slab leak detection and occasionaly our clients already suspect that. Knowing which pipe is another story. There are many pipes running under your concrete slab so a real understanding of plumbing is needed in order to prevent countless exploratory holes being made in your drywall.

Yes, that's right, your drywall. We are not going to go through the concrete. Instead we will go overhead, bypassing the offending water line once it has been identified.

Equally as common though is that there is no hot spot on the floor and you may become suspicious that you have a leak somewhere because possibly your water bill has increased without explanation or maybe you hear a faint hissing sound. Sometimes water from the leaking pipe will make it's way through an expansion crack either inside of your house, in the garage or driveway.

For this we would likely use our highly sensitive listening device that can pinpoint the location of the hissing or sometimes it may be a drip.

Either way, from their we move on to identifying the precise water line leak. The repair is the same, up and over in what is called pipe rerouting using PEX pipe.

For more information, give us a call at 760-458-8958.

]]><![CDATA[PEX vs Copper Pipe]]>Wed, 05 Dec 2018 08:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/pex-vs-copper-pipe

If you have a slab leak than the repair we most recommend is pipe rerouting using PEX pipe. You may be asking yourself why PEX vs Copper Pipe? You would think isn't copper a better option?

Once upon a time, it definitly was the gold standard. Unfortunately, things have changed. PEX is now the standard in even many new homes, especially in the Southern California area, ie, Orange County and San Diego County.

When we do a pipe rerouting for a slab leak repair we always use PEX anymore. We know that people have all sorts of concerns about using plastic water pipe, so we want to take the time to explain why we feel it is your best option.

There has been a significant increase in copper pipes failing in the last 10-15 years even in homes that are less than years old. In fact so staggering is this increase that there is even an ongoing class action suit.

Our understanding of the reason for the rise in copper pipe failures is that chemicals added to keep our drinking water safe is interacting with the copper pipe causing it to pit and corrode from the inside out. This causes what we call a pinhole leak as can be seen in the image above.

A pinhole leak starts out slowly usually with a single drip at a time and can go unnoticed. The image above shows a leak in a ceiling, but the very same thing happens under the concrete slab. Over time as corrosion on the inside increases the hole size, dripping becomes more rapid and eventually becomes a full stream. This can be devastating to your home and when these types of leaks quietly permeate once they reach the interior of the home, mold becomes a serious issue.

When one pinhole leak appears, it is without question our opinion that more leaks will follow. It is just the nature of the situation, the chemical interaction with our municipal water supply and the copper. This is why we use PEX tubing and recommend it for all of our slab leak repairs and who house plumbing repipe. Why replace a failing copper with another copper pipe that will also eventually fail at some point in the future.

If you have further questions, please give us a call @ 760-458-8958.

]]><![CDATA[Understanding Slab Leak Repair]]>Thu, 22 Nov 2018 08:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/understanding-slab-leak-repair

As a homeowner being told you have a slab leak it fairly unsettling. If this is you, then we want to help you in understanding slab leak repair. There are many misconceptions and misinformation out there. In fact insurance companies can give you really dated advice.

We want to clear all of that up for you. It's important that you fully understand the slab leak repair process because it will not only save you time, but added stress and even costly repairs of the demolition that some plumbers may tell you is needed.

Always hire a real plumber. Slab leak repair is not a job you should ask your handyman to do. This plumbing job requires an understanding on plumbing beyond that of changing out a garbage disposer or even a toilet. There are 20-30 pipes running under your concrete slab and it is really important to know exactly which pipe has sprung a leak. Poking exporatory holes all over literally making stabs is not necessary. A water leak in slab is not a job for anyone other than someone who is a slab leak specialist. They should have specialized euipment that with skill will narrow down the problem before any cuts are made.

Give us a call if you are suspecting a slab leak and definitely before you talk to your insurance company. We will be able to help you navigate the process. I'm sure insurance companies are well meaning but they often recommend breaking up the concrete instead of pipe rerouting.

We almost never break up concrete in order to repair a slab leak. 99.9% of the time we do pipe rerouting. Why? Because it's just easier on our customers. Can you imagine having your plumber jackhammer up your hardwood or tile floors? There is no need to do that! Plus, the reasons that your pipe sprung a leak in the first place are likely going to have affected at the very least that length of copper pipe if not all of your copper plumbing. No point in cutting out a few inches, when the same pipe may spring another leak a couple of feet away.

A pipe reroute is simply the process of abandoning the existing faulty copper line and rerouting a brand new line overhead using PEX pipe. PEX is the standard today even in brand new homes. We make a handful of smaller holes in your drywall (easy to repair) or on a rare occasion through your stucco (again, far easier to repair than your floors). We then snake the new pipe through these openings, through your garage or attic and connect to existing pipe on the other side.

For the homeowner it's pretty painless. No need to move out or make any major changes to your schedule. When using a qualified leak detection and repair specialist, they could be in and out in about a half a day in most cases. It's really that simple for you as the homeowner.

We have had numerous happy customers who are so happy with our fast, friendly service. Check out our Yelp and Google reviews. Give us a call. 760-519-8466. Don't make a home repair any more painful than it needs to be.

]]><![CDATA[What To Expect In A Leak Detection]]>Thu, 08 Nov 2018 08:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/what-to-expect-in-a-leak-detection

You think you might have a slab leak and you need to find a leak detection specialist. But what does that mean, what will they do? We want to prepare you for what to expect in a leak detection.

There are a few different types of leaks that might be encountered, but in this article will will focus on slab leaks. These are leaks that are located below the concrete slab of your home.

One of the most common indicators that home owners will notice is a warm spot on the floor. Especially if it is new, this is almost always a sure sign that a hot water pipe is leaking under the slab and is what we call a slab leak. A hot water slab leak can actually be seen using an infrared camera like shown in th picture to the left.

Unfortunately there won't be this obivious indicator if you have a cold water line leaking under the slab. You may be suspecting a slab leak because of an increasing, unexplainable water bill. Then the obvious and most problematic is when the water from below finds it's way up into the interior of your home by way off expansion cracks or where water pipes literally penetrate the cement slab.

So, how on earth will a slab leak like this be located?

It sounds like an ominous task, visions of multiple exploratory holes being jackhammered in your floors. Sadly there are still insurance companies that will tell you this is the way it must be done.

As experts in slab leak detection, trust us when we way, we NEVER do this. If your leak detection specialist really is a specialist, he knows that and should have the proper equipment to locate your slab leak without tearing anything up.

Leak Detection Tools

As mentioned earlier in the case of locating a hot water slab leak, a true leak detection specialist will have an infrared camera. Very cool piece of equipment. It simply picks up fluctuations in temperatures. It can even be used to see where wet drywall is.

Another tool the we use is an highly sensitive listening device. We can literally hear a drip of water behind a wall or the spray coming from a tiny pinhole leak under the concrete.

We also use a moisture detector to help map out just how far water has spread if it should make it's way into you house.

The thing is, all of those tools would be useless without the best tool of all. Your experienced leak detection specialist. Without a clear understanding of plumbing it becomes extremely difficult to narrow down the exact pipe that is leaking. There are countless water lines running underneath the slab. It's critical to be able to identify the precise line that is leaking.

Slab Leak Repair

Once the exact line has been identified, the slab leak repair is the next step. At Leak Star we abandon the offending water line and reroute overhead. With years of experience behind us, we are able to reroute a new line with minimal damage to your home. Find it hard to believe. Check our our Yelp reviews from countless happy customers over the years, then give us a call @ 760-519-8466.

]]><![CDATA[Find A Leak Specialist]]>Tue, 30 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/find-a-leak-specialist

If you are trying to find a leak specialist, there are some things you should know. There are plenty of hacks out there and there is truth in the old adage, "you get what you pay for".

Should You Hire A Handyman?

There are plenty of times that hiring a handyman makes absoulte sense. They might be great if you need a toilet or faucet replaced, or the faucet outside is dripping and you need a new one. Even at that though, you really should hire a licensed plumber. If the job is not done properly you could end up with water damage and trust us when we say, you don't want to have to deal with water damage.

We understand that economics is important to almost everyone, but if you don't hire someone qualified, your job that started out small can become a catastrophy.

A Licensed Plumber

When you need a leak specialist, you really want a licensed, bonded and insured plumber. That is even more important if your leak specialist will be making the repairs.

Honestly we get called in frequently after another so called leak specialist couldn't find the leak. Often, eploration holes are poked all over the place, because they really had no clue where the leak was at and didn't have the specialized tools to locate the leaking pipe.

Leak Star is not only qualified with decades of combined experience, but we are also licensed, bonded and insured. We also, have the high tech leak dectection equipment needed to locate your leak without touching the walls, ceiling or floors in most cases.

What Makes A Leak Specialist?

Bottom line is, a leak specialist should be able to pinpoint the water leak inside of your home relatively quickly and with accuracy. without tearing apart your home. We use infrared cameras to see into walls and concrete floors. We also have sensitive listening equipment that can litterally hear water dripping in your attic or under your concrete slab.

Save yourself the heartache and the funds, hire a real leak specialist the first time. If you have questions, please give us a call.

]]><![CDATA[Hot Water Heater Service]]>Thu, 18 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/hot-water-heater-service

How long have your had your water heater make make a difference in whether you just want hot water heater service or if it's time for water heater replacement. Some say a water heater could last you for 10-13 years. Others will tell you they don't last quite that long, other will try to push it longer. Either way it will be quite annoying when you jump out of bed for that nice hot shower in the morning to find the water is stone cold.

It used to be that a water heater could be repaired. Parts could be replaced. Sadly, like with most everything else, manufacturers don't want us repairing things, they just want us to buy a new one. There is no real money in repair for them, so they have made it more difficult for all of us who own homes.

Today, most all of the insides of the heating element are all one piece. So you can't just replace a part here & there. Have you ever looked at your water heater heating element lately? It's all sealed up. So what does that mean for us?

If your water heater is no longer under warranty and it's getting close to it's expiration date, then you are most likely going to need to just replace it. It's given you years of constant service and has lasted far longer than most TVs, washing machines, cell phones and even most of us buy new cars long before the water heater gives up. So don't take it to hard.

Your water heater is going to fail eventually, so really what can you do so you aren't left with a cold shower?

Warning Signs Water Heater Needs Replacement

Water heater is leaking. That should be obvious, but it's amazing how many people just try to ignore that fact a little bit longer. But really, don't, the water damage could cost you many times more than if you had just replaced your hot water heater,
Loud pops & crackling coming from inside your water heater. This could be an indication that the heating element has sand or mineral buildup.
Hot water isn't as hot as it used to be. Could be that the heating element is failing. Double check that the thermostat is set to between 120 and 140.
Strange odor or taste in water. This could indicate that the inside of the water tank is beginning to break down. You might even see flecks of metal. I don't know, probably not a great idea to drink or cook with it anymore.
Muddy water or sandy grit. This is one area that you might be able to have serviced. A hot water heater can be drained, hopefully reducing the amount of sediment. Warning though. We have done this for customers and it can be quite time consuming which equals greater cost to you. You might want to try to DIY first.

When you start having those kinds of problems, chances are water heater repair service isn't going to solve your problem. Know at least approximately how old your water heater is. Sometimes the serial # will give you a clue. Think too about the size of your family. A family of 6 will take a greater toll on your water heater, than would 2 people or even a family of 4.

Feel free to give us a call at Leak Star @ 760-458-8958.

]]><![CDATA[Slab Leak Detection Doesn't Require a Wrecking Ball]]>Wed, 03 Oct 2018 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/slab-leak-detection-doesnt-require-a-wrecking-ball

"It only cost half of what the other guy wanted to do the slab leak detection and then they wanted to tear up my driveway in order to fix the slab leak." (Taken from an actual Yelp review) That is not uncommon to hear from our customers. Sadly there are some real hacks out there who claim to be plumbers. In fact there is even a video of someone demonstrating how to to do a slab leak detection, tearing up someone's concrete slab with a pick and hammer first then a small jackhammer. It took him a couple of days to locate the leak!! Do NOT listen to this person whether homeowner or plumber or even attempt to do it yourself.

A water line repair under the concrete slab doesn't mean you must tear up your floor, so stop worrying. A qualified plumber will be able to quickly perform your slab leak detection and do the repiping of a new line in less than a day, without ripping up your beautiful floors. In fact if you chose to use Leak Star, it will be over before you know it and with minimal damage to your drywall.

That's right, your drywall. No cuts in the floor to fix to the slab leak. At Leak Star we find it challenging to be able to complete our repiping service with just a small handful of drywall cuts that will be easy to repair. Our all time record was one drywall cut that was not even visible because it was under the bathroom vanity, behind the kick plate. Honestly, that was not typical, but if it's possible, that's our goal. Usually it take about 3-4 drywall cuts, we try if we can to make our cuts inside of cabinets or closets. The number of cuts will also depend on whether or not you have a second floor or a vaulted ceiling without attic space.

However we have to do it, you can count on us using out decades of new construction experience to plot out just how that water line repair should be done.

Now, back to the slab leak detection. Instead of poking holes all over your house, we use state of the art leak detection equipment to literally see through your walls and concrete slab. We also have ultra sensitive listening equipment that can even hear a few drops of water. With this equipment and decades of experience we can usually locate the offending leaking water line in 20-60 minutes.

The water line is totally abandoned because once a copper pipe line springs one leak, chances are very high that that same line will spring another leak and then another. A plan is then layed out to repipe or reroute a brand new water line overhead, snaking the new pipe through the wall, out of sight. We will run all unusual situations by you so that you know what is going on every step of the way.

If you have sustained water damage, we are also prepared to help you clean up that mess, with same service we would want for ourselves.

That's it! It really is simple. We also hear from our happy customers almost daily...."That's it? You're done? Oh wow! that's awesome:" Check out our Yelp reviews if you don't believe us, then give us a call 760-519-8466.

]]><![CDATA[Leak Detection]]>Thu, 20 Sep 2018 07:00:00 GMThttps://leakstar.com/blog/leak-detection

Advanced Leak Detection, Slab Leak Detection

You can have numerous types of water leaks in your home or business. Sometimes a plumbing leak is clearly visible and other times the leak is hidden in the walls or you can even have a slab leak under inches of cemente slab. In that case you need a leak detection specialist, you need advanced leak detection.

Leak Star is your qualified leak specialist, working in both San Diego and Orange Counties.

Leak Detection, What To Expect

Our aim at Leak Star is to always leave happy customers. We understand that a quality job that won't break the bank is important to you. For that you want a job well done, done right. You want a plumber with plenty of experience who is honest, upfront, dependable and friendly.

You are probably having nightmares of either having your drywall torn down or even worse you envision someone jackhammering your living room floor up. I promise you, that at Leak Star we won't do that to you.

We will treat your home as if it was our own. When doing our leak detection we will keep exploration damage to a minimum, only making dry wall cuts when absolutely necessary. We use highly sensitive equipment when doing a leak detection in cement slab like our infrared camera that literally sees through walls and concrete floors picking up heat signatures from leaking hot water pipes.

We also use extremely sensitive listening devices the can hear a single drip inside your walls. This listening device also works well for slab leak detection.

This is the kind of advanced leak detection you want. Don't let anyone come in and start hacking up your walls or floors until they find the leak, it's just not necessary. They may cost less initially, but the damage repair and disruption to life is going to cost you dearly.

Slab Leak Repair Options

As mentioned briefly above, there are plumbers who would like to tear up your concrete. Believe it or not, this is often what insurance companies prefer as well. Why, we will never understand. Makes such a mess. We just don't do that. If your insurance insurance says this what you must do, absolutely give us a call. We can usually work around their request.

Once we have located the slab leak in the cement slab or under the slab, we will isolate that line and abandon the whole line. There is not point breaking the cement slab in order to repair a single leak, especially since once a copper pipe starts spring leaks it will leak again in another spot, it'sjust a matter of time. We simply abandon the line and repipe or reroute that line generally overhead and through the walls. We make as few holes in the drywall as possible and leave clean cuts for the drywaller to come.

Our repiping service is affordable, often covered by homeowners insurance (depending on who you have). You will not have to move out, and we usually complete our slab leak repair in a single day.

Water Line Repairs

If your water leak is above the slab, then once we find your leak we can simply cut a small hole in the drywall in order to make the repair. If you have a lot of water damage, then wet drywall can be removed and we can do the dry out immediately. Early dry out is important since mold will begin growing quickly. If mold begins to appear your insurance company is not going to like that, and may refuse your claim, so getting the water damage clean up done right away is really important.

We are a full service leak detection company. We only use the most advanced leak detection system. Give us a call, we will answer your questions and hope to have the opportunity to work with you. 760-519-8466 ask for Timo.

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