Does Insurance Coverage Really Pay for Slab Leak Detection? Here’s Everything You Need to Know
Any water leak, even a minor pipe leak can cause distress to your life until it is properly fixed. Unfortunately, slab leaks are some of the severe types of water leaks a property owner can ever come across. When you are hit with a slab leak, one of the first things that come to your mind is “Will insurance pay for my slab leak?” We will answer your question as well as provide you an insight on effective slab leak repair in San Diego.
Regrettably, there’s no solid yes or no answer to this question. It requires the combined analysis of various factors to arrive at a conclusion. Fortunately, you will have a clear idea of the answer to your question by the end of this article. Let’s dive in!
What is a Slab Leak Anyway?
Before you call your insurance company and say that your home has a slab leak that needs insurance coverage, you should know what a slab leak really is.
The slab is the concrete foundation on which your home is built. A slab leak occurs when there’s a leak in one of the water or sewer lines that run below your concrete foundation. Unlike other plumbing leaks, slab leaks are not that common but have the potential to cause severe damage to your property.
Are you looking for top-notch slab leak detection services in San Diego? We have got you covered.
Understanding What Your Insurance Covers
The question of whether your insurance will pay for your slab leak or not comes down to two main things- Your insurance policy and what caused the leak to occur.
Every insurance policy states a list of perils that the insured or the homeowner is covered for. The most common types of covered perils include fire, wind, water, explosions, etc. So if your slab leak occurs due to one of the perils covered in your insurance policy, your insurance will likely help pay for repairs.
Are Repair Costs Covered By My Homeowners Insurance?
Even if the cause of your slab leak is a covered peril in your insurance policy, you still can’t be certain that you will be covered for your repairs entirely or partially. That is because homeowners insurance is of two types with varying policies.
Dwelling Coverage
Dwelling coverage will cover the cost you incur to repair and restore the structure of your home. So all the walls, floors, and other structural elements damaged by a slab leak will likely be covered by your insurance, but probably will not pay to restore your plumbing.
Personal Property Coverage
Personal property coverage will cover the repair or replacement costs of any belongings damaged by a slab leak. This can be furniture, artwork, or any other valuables affected by a slab leak.
In times like this, it also really helps if you can work with a leak detection expert in San Diego, such as All Star Plumbing who is well experienced with homeowners insurance.
Instances Where Homeowners Insurance Might Cover for a Slab Leak
The reality is you can’t be 100% certain that whether you will be covered for a slab leak until your insurance company assesses your claim and confirm the coverage. However, from the information that we have gathered in the earlier parts of this article, the following instances will likely qualify for a claim.
Structural damage by a covered event
The slab leak occurs due to a peril covered in the insurance policy and causes structural damage to your home. This will probably not cover the expenses that you incur to repair your plumbing.
Personal Property Damage
Offers coverage for any personal belongings damaged by a slab leak. This will not directly cover the expenses that you incur to repair the slab leak.
Instances Where Homeowners Insurance Might Not Cover for a Slab Leak
Now that we have a basic idea of the type of instances that qualify for slab leak insurance coverage, let’s take a look at what might not be covered.
Every homeowners’ insurance policy states that, for an event to be qualified as a covered event, it should be sudden with no prior warnings or indications. A classic situation that will not receive insurance coverage is a slab leak that occurred due to poor maintenance or ignorance.
Therefore it is vital that you keep an eye on your plumbing as a responsible homeowner and take note of any unusual changes. Hire a slab leak detection specialist in San Diego to make sure that you are free of plumbing problems that can lead to a slab leak. It is one of the best solutions to ensure that you are not in a similar problem in the future.
How to Tell if you Have a Slab Leak?
In order to take note of a slab leak, you should be capable of spotting one and identifying it as a slab leak. Let’s see how you can do it.
While slab leaks have the potential of causing severe damage to your property, they are some of the most difficult types of leaks to identify. However, they do provide some signs if you keep an eye on your plumbing on a routine basis.
Unusual spikes in your water bill
A slab leak means that water will leak 24/7. This will be reflected in your water bills and you can easily notice that bills are higher than usual.
Reduced water pressure
Reduced water pressure means that there’s less water running through your pipes, which can occur due to a slab leak.
Wet and damaged flooring
Unjustifiable damp spots on your floor probably indicate that there is an active leak in of the pipes below your flooring, i.e. in the concrete foundation.
Sounds of water rushing
Sounds of water rushing through your walls when all your pipes and faucets are turned off can also mean the possibility of a slab leak.
How Common are Slab Leaks?
Now that you know how to spot a slab leak, some homeowners have to be vigilant about slab leaks than others. That depends on the architecture and the location of your home.
Since most, if not all modern homes are built on a concrete foundation, every homeowner is more or less exposed to the risk of a slab leak.
However, when it comes to the location, states like California are more vulnerable to the risks of slab leaks. That is because of the higher than normal shifting ground that takes place in these areas. That is why working with a professional slab leak repair expert in San Diego like All Star Plumbing can really save you from huge troubles.
What Causes Slab Leaks?
Knowing what causes slab leaks is vital to prevent them from occurring as well as to keep an eye for unusual signs. Given below are some of the most common causes of slab leaks.
Excess Pressure
The heavy pressure in underground pipes can often lead pipes to crack, which results in water leaks. The same happens in ground shifting, where excess pressure is applied against underground pipes which will cause them to crack or break.
Corrosion
Since underground pipes are in direct contact with soil, galvanic corrosion is a common problem. This can cause to ruin the material quality of the pipes and start leaking.
Abrasion
Water flows at high speeds in underground pipes, which can cause the pipes to vibrate. If the pipe is next to a hard surface such as concrete, the metal of the pipe will tear away over time and will eventually start leaking.
Consequences of Slab Leaks
By now, you might probably know that slab leaks can cause severe structural damage. In this section, we will get into specifics to get a better insight into things, which will be very helpful when filing your insurance claims.
Damaged floors
This the most costly and inconvenienced element when it comes to a slab leak. Regardless of how your slab leak takes place, chances are very low that your affected floors come out unscathed.
Damaged Yard
While many homeowners would choose a damaged yard over a concrete foundation, it can also be devastating and most probably will not be covered by insurance.
Foul odors
While structural damages can be severe, they still can be repaired and restored to their original state. However, foul odors resulting from a slab leak can last for some time, even after taking necessary actions. Reaching out to a top leak detection expert in San Diego can give you some hope in this matter.
Is There a Way to Prevent Slab Leaks?
Unlike our first question, “Does insurance coverage pay for slab leaks?”, this question can be answered with a simple yes.
As mentioned earlier, keeping an eye out on usual signs that might indicate a slab leak is vital if you want to prevent one. If you happen to take notice of any of those signs or indications, the wisest thing to do is to find a leak detection specialist in San Diego, who can inspect your problem and take the necessary steps that will keep you from getting into a major slab leak.
What to do If You Have a Slab Leak?
Before you jump to conclusions, it is vital that you get your problem inspected by a professional plumber from All Star Plumbing & Restoration and identify it as a slab leak. If the technician you hire is a well-experienced specialist in the industry, he will advise you on your chances of getting qualified for slab leak insurance coverage and how to proceed forward to get things back to normal.
Options for Repairing Slab Leaks
There are several options for fixing a slab leak, which will depend on the unique factors of your situation. By reaching out to expert slab leak repair professionals, you can enjoy non-invasive repair options with minimal drilling of concrete and tearing up floorboards.
Repair the damaged section
This option is only used if the problematic pipe can be easily accessed and the leak is minor. The damaged section of the pipe will either be repaired using epoxy lining or replaced.
Reroute the pipe
This where the problematic pipe will be shut off and a new pipe will be rerouted above the ground. This is followed when either the leaky pipe cannot be easily accessed or the pipe is in poor condition.
Determining the Costs of a Slab Leak
If you are trying to determine how much will it cost to fix your slab leak, it depends on the type and extent of the damage caused. The more adverse it gets, the more complicated repairs it requires, which will drive up the costs.
If it is a minor leak that can be fixed after a leak detection, the costs can be kept to a minimum. If it is an under slab leak repair or a hot water slab leak repair, the costs will be much higher.
How to Properly File a Slab Leak Insurance Claim?
To sum things up, a slab leak is an event that may or may not be covered by your homeowners’ insurance. As we’ve discussed, it depends on several factors such as your insurance policy, the cause of the slab leak, how it occurred, and other related facts.
However, there are some things that you can do to increase your chances of qualifying for a claim. Here’s a summary of what you can do.
- Assess your insurance policy to see whether slabs are covered and the cause of the event is a covered peril.
- File your claim as early as possible (as soon as you notice any signs of a slab leak) and increase your chances of getting accepted.
- Know what to say as flood damage is not covered in most homeowners’ insurance policies. It is also important to mention that the slab leak was sudden and was not developed gradually.
- Contact professionals such as All Star Plumbing at 858-707-7422, who is a leading expert in slab leak detection in San Diego. They will advise you on how to file a claim that will get approved.
Conclusion
As it might have already occurred to you, getting insurance coverage can be slightly complicated as you cannot be certain until the very end. However, this post will help you increase your chances by helping you understand how to qualify for a claim and by giving you some tips at the end. We also talked about several benefits that you can experience if you reach out to a well-experienced slab leak detection expert in San Diego.
