Eric Blair Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 This is not a sewer water leak. I'm going some backtracking of it on my own, but if I find where the water is actually exiting the underside of the slab, I need a plumber, especially one with the equipment to detect where the leak is. This is a very specialized process. I'm pretty sure it came as a result of earth movement because the alignment of a gate post changed about 1/4" in the last week. Any personal knowledge or reference will be appreciated. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Any way you can shut off and discontinue that line? Then reroute your water source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapalence Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 39 minutes ago, Eric Blair said: This is not a sewer water leak. I'm going some backtracking of it on my own, but if I find where the water is actually exiting the underside of the slab, I need a plumber, especially one with the equipment to detect where the leak is. This is a very specialized process. I'm pretty sure it came as a result of earth movement because the alignment of a gate post changed about 1/4" in the last week. Any personal knowledge or reference will be appreciated. Thanks. Try Jose Martinez --765-3297, 333-174-1282 He has been recommended many times as someone with a camera that can find problems within pipes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mainecoons Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 It is usually the best practice to abandon the old line and reroute. You don't say what kind of pipe it is but this is probably just the first failure, not the last. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Blair Posted July 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 I saw some videos on re-routing, but first the leak needs to be found. Also, it seems to be random. The water comes out from the edge of the slab and literally floods an area overnight, but then it stops. I dug a trench along the foundation so I can get a better idea of where the water is coming from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 My aljibe fills up at night and not on all nights. It could be your water supply line coming from the street. Shut it off and see what happens. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapalence Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 1 hour ago, Jreboll said: My aljibe fills up at night and not on all nights. It could be your water supply line coming from the street. Shut it off and see what happens. I live quite close to Eric. The water supply from the fraccs wells is only "on" from 8am-12pm, and he states he notices the problem "literally floods an area overnight, but then it stops", so I doubt that is the problem. Our first rainy season here I was convinced there was a natural spring running under the house because every morning a river of water was running out from the low side of the house. We had just completed a major reno including replacing all the water pipes (and waste pipes) under the floor which were completely corroded galvanized pipes and I didn't believe a new pipe or faulty plumbing was to blame. The past several years we have not had a similar problem, even in the rainy season. I'm not smart when it comes to this sort of thing, but I believe there are indeed underground streams of water here in the hills that reappear during heavy rains. Since it rains primarily at night this might explain why his puddles are only visible in the early morning, and only intermittently. If streams of water underground are like those above ground, they are constantly forging new paths, which might explain why we no longer have water flowing from beneath our house and Eric has suddenly seen more water around his. Just a thought. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pappysmarket Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Been quite a few years now, bur Lower La Floresta was famous for springs erupting during the rainy season and not in the same places each year. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jreboll Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 If the source is found could a French drain around the house be a solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geeser Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 3 hours ago, Eric Blair said: This is not a sewer water leak. I'm going some backtracking of it on my own, but if I find where the water is actually exiting the underside of the slab, I need a plumber, especially one with the equipment to detect where the leak is. This is a very specialized process. First off, stop thinking as the house as being on a slab, it isn't. Houses here have foundations under all the walls, interior and exterior. The floor tile is on a quite thin 2-3" concrete with generally no rebar or steel grid. You need to call a plumber who can find your problem. If it is truly under the floor they can go through the floor and repair the leak. They would find it by using an air compressor onto the line and raise the pressure to 40-50 psi. The they will listen for the air coming out through a leak. Then either go in through the floor or simply reroute with exterior lines. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Blair Posted July 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Thanks for the information. I was thinking of houses that are raised with crawl spaces under the house and then concrete foundations that are poured as a base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 There are houses here with slab foundations. I own one. So the OP needs to know what they have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomas Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Borrow a Stethoscope and during a quiet time at night lay around and listen for the sound of running water..A camera is not a solution for finding a leak in this particular situation..Good luck, or maybe time to start excavating for that pool or pond you have never wanted..LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bontepar Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 5 hours ago, Eric Blair said: This is not a sewer water leak. I'm going some backtracking of it on my own, but if I find where the water is actually exiting the underside of the slab, I need a plumber, especially one with the equipment to detect where the leak is. This is a very specialized process. I'm pretty sure it came as a result of earth movement because the alignment of a gate post changed about 1/4" in the last week. Any personal knowledge or reference will be appreciated. Thanks. It could easily be a Spring coming up 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha1 Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 5 hours ago, chapalence said: Try Jose Martinez --765-3297, 333-174-1282 He has been recommended many times as someone with a camera that can find problems within pipes. And charges accordingly...However if you need camera intervention he is the guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chapalence Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 23 minutes ago, bontepar said: It could easily be a Spring coming up I'm glad to know I wasn't crazy for thinking that when we had the same problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bontepar Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 Not crazy at all , I suggest to shut the water off , if it does not stop it is a spring! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RVGRINGO Posted July 28, 2019 Report Share Posted July 28, 2019 That is a good idea. Also, remember to shut off your tinaco and your pressure pump, if you have them, in addition to shutting off the water from the street. Leave them off for several hours, as you listen and observe. That should help to answer your question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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