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Leak under concrete slab - pics+update

14 years ago

Below I have added a link to my original post.

Update - no fresh water leak, leak detector at outside meter is not spinning at all. DH chipped away more concrete at stain site and located what looks like the main sewer pipe.

Lots of very wet, sometimes saturated mud. No tree roots. A rock/ chunk of concrete was noticed embedded to the side and slightly under this sewer pipe. Dug it out, felt around the pipe with bare hands and cannot feel a dent or a hole. In the last picture you can see a copper pipe (not warm to the touch)near the top of the picture. We have filled the sink in the kitchen, then let it drain to listen and see what happens. Also did this with upstairs bathroom, shower & sink.

Still don't know where this leak is located.

Stain on dinning room concrete

Initial cut exposing damp sand on top of plastic barrier

If you look closely, you can see the chunk of concrete (at the tip of the shovel) embeded under & to the side of the drain pipe.

Got the chunk of concrete out

At the very top you can see the copper pipe. It's not perpendicular to the drain pipe..more of a 45 degree angle.

Here is a link that might be useful: My original post in June

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Comments (3)

zl700
14 years ago
It's probably coming from elsewhere and puddling on top of the plastic barrier and seeping up through concrete. Most likely this spot has the lowest plastic elevation and deeper concrete, thus the spot. Watch the ground and the top of plastic for water.

My guess without seeing is it is coming from outside. Since it is a slab, try flooding the outside patio and perimeter of house with a hose and watch what happens.
Laurie
Original Author
14 years ago
zl700 - It's been 4 days since we dug out the sopping wet soil and exposed this drain pipe. We have been using all sinks, bathrooms, dishwasher, & laundry. There has been absolutely no water showing up anywhere in that hole. We have also had the backyard sprinkler system turned off for the past 3 weeks. This dining room is adjacent to our backyard that's mostly grass with a row of boxwood plants near the wall. Your suggestion to flood the outside area is excellent! We'll use the hose & sprinklers. It will be interesting to see what happens when we turn the sprinklers back on. The sprinkler system (installed many years ago by DH) includes pipes & risers along the area by the wall for the boxwood plants. There's also a hose/spigot connection there on that wall as well.

I forgot to mention..along with finding the large chunk of concrete, there is a piece of wood (looks like a 2 x 4) lodged below the drain pipe. We don't know why that's there.
This area must have been a dumping site during construction & stuff just got left there?
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zl700
14 years ago
The wood was probably used to shim the pipe to the proper elevation during install before bury. If you have sprinkler piping close by that could be it too. By running sprinklers and flooding you will find out soon

Good luck

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