Be on the Lookout for Warm Floors!

October 2, 2008 by Mark Roknich

Noticed a “hot spot” on your floor? You might have a slab leak.

With increasing frequency, some or our Danawoods neighbors have been impacted by the cost and inconvenience of “slab leaks”. Now, of course, the slab itself isn’t leaking. But our homes have copper supply lines in, through, and under our concrete slabs. For example, three or four of our friends with Chelsea or Bridgeport floorplans have discovered leaks in pipes between their laundry rooms and lower level bath. And make a mental note: having a leak in a hot water pipe is a huge advantage in one respect. It’s much more difficult to detect water leaking from the cold water pipes…

Photo Courtesy of Curaflo.com What causes the pipes to leak? It has been suggested to us that one common occurrence is the corrosion that occurs in copper pipes when in contact with the steel reinforcing bar (“rebar”) in the concrete slab. Galvanic action is the technical term for this type of corrosion between dissimilar metals. Here’s another explanation and photos of pinhole leaks that occur in copper pipes (photo courtesy of the Curaflo website).

Need a plumber? If you have a neighbor who has experienced a slab leak, ask them if they would recommend their plumber. Or contact us via email, and we would be happy to recommend our plumber, Dave Ortiz, who is outstanding.

One important warning: your home is built on what is called a “post-tension” slab. What this means to you, in regards to the warm floor under your feet, is that you cannot simply start jack-hammering the slab to find the leaky pipe. Post-tension slabs have tendons that are under incredible force and which keep your slab from cracking. Cutting through one of these tendons is a REALLY bad thing. In fact, you’ll often find that some plumbers will not cut into a slab because of the liability and danger involved. There is excellent background information on wikipedia regarding post-tension slab construction.

Filed under: Home Improvement
Tagged: home repair, leaks

The Estate at Seventeen Broken Arrow

October 1, 2008 by Mark Roknich

Real Estate For Sale in Orange County

The fabulous estate at 17 Broken Arrow is one of Covenant Hills’ finest. Located at the end of a cul-de-sac street and enjoying panoramic sunset views, this property and its gated motor court is fit for a king. Six bedrooms, including two on the main floor, each enjoy private baths and patio or balcony access. The main floor library is stunning!