For the most part, a pipe is re-routed when it is leaking under the foundation aka, a “slab leak”. This usually is a water line leak, but it could also pertain to a drain leaking under the slab. In years gone by, most slab leaks were fixed in the ground, i.e., the leaking pipe was located, the concrete and tile were broken up, and the pipe was fixed by cutting out the leaking section and splicing in a new piece of pipe. The main problem with this type of repair is that once the pipe has sprung a leak, it is inevitable that sometime in the future, it will leak again (probably at Christmas when the family is all over). While it is possible to still repair the leak in the slab, we don’t recommend it, unless there is no other choice. The smart choice today involves re-routing the leaking pipe, usually through the attic or ceiling, from the two fixtures that it serves, and then re-connecting it back in the wall behind the fixture. This eliminates the leaking section of pipe that is under the ground, thus no possibility of another slab leak in the same section of pipe. Plus, no tile to try to match up in the repair, no concrete to repair, no jackhammer, no fun. At most, perhaps some drywall to patch and/or paint, and in many cases there is none of that either.
If you have a slab leak, or think you might have a slab leak, call us for a free professional evaluation and estimate if necessary.
