Drains backing up in more than one spot, a sewer smell you can’t trace, or a camera already showed a break under the house? Call or send a few details, and a local plumber who works on under-slab drains will get back to you.
Why drain leaks hide so well
A drain line isn’t under pressure. When it cracks, water and waste seep out only when something drains, and the water meter doesn’t move at all. That’s why a drain leak can go on for a long time before anyone notices. The usual signs are slow drains that keep coming back, a sewer smell inside, damp spots near a bathroom, or cracks in tile that keep getting worse.
A lot of older houses have cast-iron drains under the slab, and cast iron rusts from the inside until it cracks or collapses. PVC lasts a lot longer, but joints can separate and soil movement can break a line.
How it gets found
A sewer camera goes down the drain from a cleanout and shows the inside of the pipe: cracks, roots, a belly where the line sags, or a spot where it’s broken through. A hydrostatic test plugs the line and fills it with water to see whether the level drops. Ask for the camera footage. It’s yours, and it’s useful if you get a second quote or file a claim.
Fixing it: tunnel or open the floor
The plumber can either break through the floor over the damage or dig a tunnel under the foundation from outside to reach it. Tunneling keeps the inside of the house intact, so it usually makes sense when the break is under finished flooring or a long run of drain needs replacing. Opening the floor can be faster and cheaper for a short, easy-to-reach repair.
Sometimes a damaged drain can be lined from the inside instead of dug up. Whether that works depends on how bad the pipe is. Ask whether it’s an option for your line.
Sewage in the house?
If sewage is coming up into a tub or shower, stop running water and flushing toilets until it’s looked at. If neighbors on your street are having the same problem, it may be the city’s main, so call your city first. Your city page has the number: Keller · Southlake · Roanoke · Colleyville · North Fort Worth · North Richland Hills
Drains acting up and you think it’s under the slab? Call or send the details.