A warm spot on a tile or wood floor
To keep the incident under control, heated water escaping under the concrete warms the slab above it.
Source of the water
Nationwide
Our incident command team locates moisture from slab leaks and dries flooring, walls, and contents affected by water rising through the foundation.
Signs to look for
As the coordinated steps continue, if you notice any of these problems, call us before water has more time to spread into nearby materials.
To keep the incident under control, heated water escaping under the concrete warms the slab above it.
As the coordinated steps continue, stand in a quiet room at night and listen at floor level.
From the first status check, a leak on the hot water line or a recirculation line pulls heated water out around the clock.
With the scene stabilized, water changes the soil under a slab, and movement shows up as cracked tile or a new line in the concrete.
From the first status check, water in the slab wicks up into the bottom of the drywall and the trim.
To keep the incident under control, grout is the most permeable part of a tile floor, so moisture appears there first.
What happens
Our incident command team adjusts the work to which materials took on water, how far the water traveled, and which materials can be saved.
To keep the incident under control, we rule out the roof, the walls and every fixture in the area first.
With the scene stabilized, meter readings, surface temperature differences and a thermal imaging camera narrow the area before any concrete is considered.
To keep the incident under control, the wet boundary gets drawn on the floor and recorded in a map.
With the scene stabilized, standing water, wet carpet and pad, and water sitting under a floating floor all get removed. As the coordinated steps continue, carpet pad in the area inside the incident zone comes out.
With the scene stabilized, tile with sound thinset and grout often stays down.
To keep the incident under control, drywall pulls moisture up from a wet slab by wicking, so the bottom band of the wall gets metered and dried.
Talk with a restoration specialist
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
What to expect
As the coordinated steps continue, here is how we usually handle slab leak damage near the United States.
To keep the incident under control, those three symptoms point almost anywhere else in a building except under the floor. With the scene stabilized, together they point down, and that changes what we mobilize.
Your callTo keep the incident under control, turn the water heater off first, meaning the gas control to pilot or off, or the breaker off.
+10 minutesWith the scene stabilized, on arrival the lead checks fixtures, walls and the ceiling in the area inside the incident zone. To keep the incident under control, that elimination is what makes the slab diagnosis credible.
On arrivalFrom the first status check, a moisture meter, surface temperature differences and the damp line at the flooring edge set the boundary, and it gets drawn and photographed.
First hours on siteTo keep the incident under control, wet carpet and pad, swollen laminate and failed adhesive come up in the marked area.
Same dayWith the scene stabilized, your plumber makes that call, and we explain the sequenced drying consequence of both. From the first status check, a reroute leaves the slab intact, and opening it adds dust, spoil and a wet patch.
Plumber's dayFrom the first status check, air movers over the concrete, Professional dehumidifiers taking moisture out of the air, and negative pressure under floating assemblies where the system allows it.
After the repairUnderstanding the cost
As the coordinated steps continue, we explain the recommended work and price before you approve the job. As the coordinated steps continue, these examples show what may change the estimate.
| Common situation | What the estimate may include | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Leak location survey with meter readings and thermal imaging | With the scene stabilized, national estimate. To keep the incident under control, the right first step before anyone considers opening concrete. | $250 to $600 |
| Slab leak drying, one room, flooring stays down | With the scene stabilized, national estimate. From the first status check, extraction, slab drying and four to six days of equipment with daily readings. | $1,200 to $3,500 |
| Slab leak with flooring removal and slab drying across two rooms | With the scene stabilized, national estimate. To keep the incident under control, flooring and pad removal, wall base drying and extended slab drying. | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Slab leak cleanup where cabinetry and wall bases are involved | With the scene stabilized, national estimate. From the first status check, toe kick voids, wall bases and trim in addition to the slab itself. | $1,500 to $5,000 |
| Slab drying priced by affected area, clean water | National estimate. Measured wet zone of the slab rather than the whole room. | $3 to $7 per square foot |
| Slab moisture documentation before new flooring is installed | With the scene stabilized, national estimate. With the scene stabilized, our readings against a dry reference area, as supporting evidence alongside the installer's own ASTM testing. | $150 to $400 |
| Your plumber's slab leak repair, reroute or open the slab | With the scene stabilized, national estimate for your plumber's work plan, listed so the total is not a surprise. | $1,000 to $6,000 |
How long the leak ran before it was found
As the coordinated steps continue, slab leaks are usually found late, and every week widens the saturated area under the floor.
Hot side or cold side
From the first status check, a hot water line leak adds heat and humidity to the space and shows itself sooner as a warm spot.
Flooring type over the slab
With the scene stabilized, tile with sound thinset often stays down.
How much flooring has to be removed
As the coordinated steps continue, removal is priced by area, and the marked wet boundary is what keeps it honest.
Whether wall bases wicked moisture up
With the scene stabilized, if the bottom band of drywall reads wet, trim comes off and that band gets dried or removed.
Concrete drying days
To keep the incident under control, air movers run roughly $25 to $40 per unit per day and Professional dehumidifiers roughly $70 to $110 per unit per day.
Why timing matters
From the first status check, water can keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.
As the coordinated steps continue, water under concrete has nowhere to go, so it soaks the soil and the slab continuously.
As the coordinated steps continue, a saturated slab feeds moisture into the room for days once the pipe is fixed.
As the coordinated steps continue, adhesives release, laminate cores swell and wood cups when the slab beneath is still giving up moisture.
With the scene stabilized, continuous water either carries fine soil away or expands clay soils.
Helpful service information
With the scene stabilized, start with the short explanation. From the first status check, open a card if you want a little more detail.
With the scene stabilized, in slab on grade construction, water supply lines are commonly run inside or beneath the concrete, historically in soft copper tubing.
With the scene stabilized, it helps to know what is actually down there. With the scene stabilized, in slab on grade construction, water supply lines are commonly run inside or beneath the concrete, historically in soft copper tubing.
With the scene stabilized, a reroute abandons the failed section and runs new pipe overhead or through walls.
With the scene stabilized, reroute or open the slab is your plumber's decision, and we explain what each one means for our half of the job.
Concrete holds water in a fine pore structure and gives it back gradually.
Drying concrete is a slower science than drying drywall and it needs to be measured rather than assumed.
Help near you
Choose your area below, or call (855) 876-9548 and describe how the incident started.
You may also need
Our incident command team extracts water from leaking pipes, checks nearby cavities and flooring, and dries materials affected before the leak was found.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team handles damage from a burst pipe by extracting water, opening wet cavities, and drying affected building materials.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team uses on-scene moisture readings and targeted inspection to locate hidden leaks and define how far the water has spread.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team removes water entering through foundation walls or floors and dries affected basement materials while the entry source is addressed.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team uses meters and thermal imaging to find unseen moisture, mark areas inside the incident zone, and guide a focused drying plan.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team extracts water from hardwood flooring and uses controlled drying to reduce cupping, warping, and moisture trapped below the boards.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team extracts water from carpet and padding, treats areas inside the incident zone, and determines whether the flooring can be safely restored.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Our incident command team uses air movement, dehumidification, and moisture monitoring to dry framing and building materials beyond the visible surface.
Get a Quote: (855) 876-9548Common questions
As the coordinated steps continue, it is a leak in a water line that runs inside or beneath the concrete floor of a slab on grade building.
With the scene stabilized, look for a warm spot on the floor, or the sound of running water with everything off.
With the scene stabilized, because hot water is escaping under the concrete and heating the slab above it.
We locate the wet zone and narrow the leak location using on-scene on-scene moisture readings, surface temperature and the pattern of the wet boundary.
With the scene stabilized, not always. With the scene stabilized, many plumbers prefer a reroute, which abandons the failed run and routes new pipe through walls or the attic.
As the coordinated steps continue, it is new pipe run above the slab to replace the failed section underneath it.
With the scene stabilized, concrete dries. As the coordinated steps continue, it just does it slowly, because water sits in the pore structure and comes out over days rather than hours.
Talk with a restoration specialist
Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.
Areas we serve
As the coordinated steps continue, identify your state to reach restoration assessment, extraction, cleanup, and drying service in your area.
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