Do you still have polybutylene plumbing in your home?

If you suspect you have leaking pipes, or if you have already been told you have a leak, you may have heard the terms "slab leak" and "pinhole leak."

Pinhole Pipe Leak

A pinhole pipe leak is a tiny leak in a pipe about the size of a pinhole. This type of leak is found in copper pipes and may be seen anywhere throughout your home. Pinhole leaks can occur as a single leak, in clusters, or along the length of a pipe.

There are multiple causes of pinhole leaks. Sometimes, pinhole leaks in your pipes can be the result of more than one cause.

Corrosion of Copper Piping

• High chlorine levels in your tap water
• Rust in the hot water heater
• High water pH (measures acidity)
• Microbes (bacteria) in the water or soil

Slab Leaks

A slab leak is a plumbing leak that occurs under the slab foundation of your home. Sometimes slab leaks start out as pinhole leaks in copper pipes, however not all pinhole leaks are slab leaks, nor are all slab leaks pinhole leaks. Sometimes a slab leak can occur in the form of a cracked or completely broken pipe.

Like pinhole leaks, slab leaks can have multiple causes, some of which can occur simultaneously.

• Installation problems
• Shifting of the ground/ cracked slabs
• Corrosion
• Abrasion

When we repipe a home after a slab leak has been identified, we route new piping through ceilings, attics, and walls; bypassing the slab. You'll never need to worry about a slab-leak again.

In certain neighborhoods, many of our customers are very familiar with the term 'repipe' from friends and neighbors that have already had their home repiped, even though they themselves have not yet experienced any repipe symptoms within their home pipes.

It is common that homes in the same neighborhood, will have similar piping: and failures can happen in clusters across many nearby homes over a relatively short time-period.

When old (or inferior) pipes fail and cause leaks- the damage can be considerably more expensive than a repipe. Particularly if the leak occurs when no one is home, or if it's a slow leak that causes significant damage before being noticed (this is a common cause of homes needing very expensive mold remediation).

It can be extremely frustrating rinsing shampoo out of your hair under a trickling showerhead or waiting forever for a bathtub to fill up.

When low water pressure affects the whole home, it will take longer to wash your dishes, your clothes and yourself.

There are numerous causes that can affect your home water pressure. Sometimes it can be your pressure regulator or a water meter valve partially closed.

However, the cause may also be due to clogged piping: particularly in the case of galvanized pipes. Pipes can develop interior corrosion and buildup which restricts water flow.

To counter the restricted water flow, sometimes homeowners (or plumbers) may increase the entry water pressure at their pressure regulator. This can eventually lead to leaks developing; turning what may have been just an inconvenience, into a source of very expensive damage.

Rusty pipes are a common issue for homeowners. As faucets are turned on and off, causing the pressure inside the pipes to change repeatedly, it can cause loosened rust to dislodge from the pipe. This discolored water then makes its way through the water supply line into the bathroom and kitchen sinks, bathtubs, showers, and laundry room.

Galvanized pipes are also major culprits for dispensing rust-colored water. And in most cases, this is a systemic issue throughout home pipes.