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Joined: Dec 2008
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OP
Campfire Tracker
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Got a frantic call yesterday from my daughter. Water was pushing up when she walked on the hardwood floor.
House sits on a monoslab. A number of our water lines run through pvc tubing in the slab. Some through the attic.
Most water lines run through a manifold that, theoretically allow you to shut off any line to any sink/tub etc.
Need some ideas about how to identify where this water is coming from. How to identify when water is still slowly moving through these plastic lines.
I am gone, but the wife has pulled up a little of the flooring.She thinks the water is coming up through a crack in the slab.
I know it isn't a ton of info.Iam over 500miles away. Just trying to game plan how to attack this problem. Of course,this is grad week and we have people coming in at the end of the week.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Aug 2010
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Hope you get it figured out
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Joined: Jul 2020
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Campfire Regular
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Get someone to locate the line under the slab. Electronic Locating equipment should be able to trace the line unless it's plastic. Maybe prints from the building department/ permit could help. Exposing the service line outside the house foudation will help get a starting location and direction. Then drill a series of holes through the slab, a few feet apart over the manifold but not through it. Hopefully one hole is a gusher instead of a slow weeper. Then use a concrete saw and electric hammer to remove a small area of slab. Hopefully you are able to find the manifold. See which way the water is coming from through the gravel under the slab and remove more concrete untill you find the leak.
God Bless America
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Joined: Jan 2007
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2007
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And everybody wants to slab a house..
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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I understand your predicament, and you looking for advice here,
But I can only hope the pro’s have already been called?
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Aug 2014
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Close the valve at the water meter. Disconnect a line in the house somewhere and inject some dish soap and air it up with air to 60 to 80 pounds. The location of the leak will be evident. their will be a large foam ball.
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,951 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
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I understand your predicament, and you looking for advice here,
But I can only hope the pro’s have already been called? I did call a plumber already. At the time, thought it could be a leak from above coming down the inside of a wall. So the plumber is in the works. I am heading home tomorrow night and figured I would spend time Monday starting tracking it down.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,951 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
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Get someone to locate the line under the slab. Electronic Locating equipment should be able to trace the line unless it's plastic. Maybe prints from the building department/ permit could help. Exposing the service line outside the house foudation will help get a starting location and direction. Then drill a series of holes through the slab, a few feet apart over the manifold but not through it. Hopefully one hole is a gusher instead of a slow weeper. Then use a concrete saw and electric hammer to remove a small area of slab. Hopefully you are able to find the manifold. See which way the water is coming from through the gravel under the slab and remove more concrete untill you find the leak. Manifold is in the house. One thought I had was to disconnect each line, fashion a fitting on the end and pump air into each, one at a time. Figure I might be able to identify one that isn't holding the compression.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,228 Likes: 3
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,228 Likes: 3 |
Get someone to locate the line under the slab. Electronic Locating equipment should be able to trace the line unless it's plastic. Maybe prints from the building department/ permit could help. Exposing the service line outside the house foudation will help get a starting location and direction. Then drill a series of holes through the slab, a few feet apart over the manifold but not through it. Hopefully one hole is a gusher instead of a slow weeper. Then use a concrete saw and electric hammer to remove a small area of slab. Hopefully you are able to find the manifold. See which way the water is coming from through the gravel under the slab and remove more concrete untill you find the leak. Manifold is in the house. One thought I had was to disconnect each line, fashion a fitting on the end and pump air into each, one at a time. Figure I might be able to identify one that isn't holding the compression. That’s not a bad idea
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Joined: Jun 2011
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2011
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Amazing post
Hard to Imagine posting on an Internet forum about an emergency situation at your home to a bunch of anonymous fuqks around the world who can’t fix your problem
Obviously a BiteMe voter
The people wringing their hands over Trump's rhetoric don't know what time it is in America.
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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If it's a "manifold" style you should be able to isolate the bad circuit and reroute a new one. Shut down Hot water to try and determine H or C. Do you know if they put the pex in conduits or just poured into place?
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
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If it's a "manifold" style you should be able to isolate the bad circuit and reroute a new one. Shut down Hot water to try and determine H or C. Do you know if they put the pex in conduits or just poured into place? The hoses are run in pvc conduits. Problem is, the manifold doesn't seem to still work 100%. Some of the circuits, when the lever is thrown, it doesn't seem to completely shut the water off.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Aug 2009
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Campfire Outfitter
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Don't understand your problem
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Joined: May 2012
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2012
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If it’s hoses inside conduits you should have water coming up from inside the conduit that houses the leaking line
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I'm a proud member of the BGE cult ... yes, I consider myself an EGGHEAD
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
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If it's a "manifold" style you should be able to isolate the bad circuit and reroute a new one. Shut down Hot water to try and determine H or C. Do you know if they put the pex in conduits or just poured into place? The hoses are run in pvc conduits. Problem is, the manifold doesn't seem to still work 100%. Some of the circuits, when the lever is thrown, it doesn't seem to completely shut the water off. You have bad valves, there leaking internally,,,,,Old Gate valves? I read threads like this and just cringe,,Get the pro’s on site ASAP…. Homeowners can be their own worst enemy…… Your about to make honorary mention in the 24 hour campfire Death match, House vs Water…. Hope the damage isn’t too extensive.
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Joined: Dec 2008
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Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
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If it’s hoses inside conduits you should have water coming up from inside the conduit that houses the leaking line Unless there is a break in the conduit from some settling.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Jan 2009
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If it’s hoses inside conduits you should have water coming up from inside the conduit that houses the leaking line We’re talking to a guy that’s 500 miles from the crisis. Thats a tough spot to be in…. I’m going to assume the hardwood flooring is already a loss.
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Just do a search for a plumbing contractor in your area that specializes in leak detection. Slab leaks are often the easiest to detect and repair.
$$$ TRUMP AT THE PUMP 2024 $$$
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,951 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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OP
Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
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If it's a "manifold" style you should be able to isolate the bad circuit and reroute a new one. Shut down Hot water to try and determine H or C. Do you know if they put the pex in conduits or just poured into place? The hoses are run in pvc conduits. Problem is, the manifold doesn't seem to still work 100%. Some of the circuits, when the lever is thrown, it doesn't seem to completely shut the water off. You have bad valves, there leaking internally,,,,,Old Gate valves? I read threads like this and just cringe,,Get the pro’s on site ASAP…. Homeowners can be their own worst enemy…… Your about to make honorary mention in the 24 hour campfire Death match, House vs Water…. Hope the damage isn’t too extensive. Have already talked to a plumber Friday pm. He’s ready to come and get started. But for now I’m 2 states away and trying to think through what the issue might be.
Montana MOFO
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Joined: Jan 2012
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Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
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Had a plastic dishwasher line wreck my flooring in the kitchen once.
Another house, had an ice maker line do its thing behind all the appliances for a long time before migrating out to rot the center of the floor
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