: : We had an intermittent leak which was originally diagnosed as a pinhole leak which was sometimes plugged by debris. It turned out to be a leak in a pipe under our concrete slab.

: I'm a big fan of running under-slab plumbing in chases...

: : It was probably leaking for months. After location by a detection service it was repaired by re-routing through the attic. The carpeting in several rooms and hallways smelled musty and were removed by the remedidation service recommended by the insurance company. After 3 weeks of dehumidifers and fans, a calcium chloride test shows higher levels than recommended for carpeting (5 gal/day/1000 sq ft). What do we do now.

: I would want to know if the soil under the slab is moist because of the leak, or has it always been wet?

: Does the rest of your property have high soil moisture levels?
: Does your property slope down toward your house?
: Do you have gutters that dump water by the house?
: Deal with these problems and possibly add a good foundation drain system.

: If the moisture is just from the leak, you likely need more time with the dehumidifiers and fans.
: Once the slab is reasonably dry, close off the affected rooms with plastic and hire in a commercial Ozone generator, which will kill any remaining mold. Clean the floor really well.
: Put a few coats of sealer on it.
: Consider putting down 1/2" sleepers with stips of 1/2" foam board between them, with plywood and carpeting over this.
:
: : There is no evidence of mold or moisture in the baseboards. About 500 - 800 sq ft may be affected. Thanks for any ideas.

: Good health, Weogo

Thanks for your response. Since we have never had any dampness or problems of this sort until the leak, I assume that it is the source of the problem. I don't know how the slab foundation was prepared - that is if there is a layer of sand over a vapor barrier or something else. If the former, it could be preventing disapation of the water.

Mitch

• Re: Under slab leak - What now?? Weogo 19:23:24 05/27/04(0)