Leaks in your concrete foundation can give rise to various types of damage. Left unchecked, the scale of the harm to your home caused by slab leaks can be massive and set you back thousands of dollars. For this reason, knowing just how a slab leak can damage your house will help you recognize them and get your trustworthy slab leak repair in San Diego, CA to address the issue before it’s too late. Keep reading to get all the crucial info.
What damage can a slab leak cause?
If you didn’t have your plumber detect a leak in the slab professionally early on and handle it afterward, you may see a number of troublesome developments. These include:
Foul odors
A slab leak can make your home take on a musty smell. It can get even worse if the leak occurred in the sewer line, in which case it can smell like raw sewage.
Ruined floors and waterlogged carpets
The only direction leakage from a concrete foundation can go is up. This means that it can eventually reach the surface and saturate your floors, crack tiles, and soak your carpets in the process.
Electrocution
Another danger from water seeping into the structure of your home is electrocution and fire hazards if the leak comes into contact with electrical wiring.
Foundation damage
Damage to your foundation may happen if the slab leak is allowed to go on for a longer period of time. In this case, water can compromise the structural integrity of the concrete and steel supports in the foundation. In time, this can lead to shifting, or even cause your foundation to crack or collapse.
Yard damge
If a slab leak spreads or originates from beneath your yard, it can ruin the grass and landscaping. Other outdoor elements that can suffer due to a slab leak are pools and brick or concrete walkways.
Can a slab leak cause a sinkhole?
Whenever a sinkhole develops, particular soil conditions are usually in place. Namely, soil typically needs to have a much looser layer of gravel located beneath the topsoil, which creates large space gaps that give way. This directly creates a sinkhole and a slab leak may contribute to the onset of one.
The way it does so is by penetrating further and further into the soil, where it may reach one of these spaces. Given that slab leaks cause the land beneath your home to shift, these spaces may close up consequently and result in a sinkhole.
Can a slab leak cause mold? 
Mold is one of the most common consequences of slab leaks. This is because slab leaks normally take place near drywall which is made from porous materials such as gypsum and paper. As a result, drywall absorbs much of the moisture released by slab leaks and becomes home to mold.
In addition to material damage, mold can bring about a number of health issues ranging from stuffy nose to fever and shortness of breath in severe cases. To avoid such adverse effects, you should know how to make your concrete foundation waterproof, and how to spot slab leaks in their early stages if one sets in nevertheless.
Expert slab leak repair in San Diego, CA will make your home good as new
As you can see, slab leaks can cause massive damage to your home, especially if you do nothing about them. However, trying to repair one yourself can do more harm than good and postpone relaxing picnics at La Jolla Cove even further. To keep things at bay, just contact KIC Restoration and our skilled and trustworthy team of plumbers will take over and handle the problem as professionally as possible.
Before you know it, you’ll feel safe as houses once again, with your home returned to mint condition. Book KIC Restoration now and leave the rest to expert hands.