Spot repair, reroute, epoxy lining, or repipe: find your method
Once you know a slab leak is likely, the next decision is how to fix it. Answer what you know about the leak location, your pipe material, your home age, and any prior slab leaks for a recommended method and a runner-up.
Answer these
Your result
spot repair
Runner-up method
reroute
Why
Locate the leak first; for a single, newly found leak a targeted spot repair is usually the least invasive fix.
This tool is a guide, not a diagnosis. It never asks you to open a slab, cut pipe, or touch gas or electrical. Confirm any leak with a licensed plumber.
Assumptions
- •This tool assumes a single active leak; two or more separate prior slab leaks are handled by the "prior slab leaks" question.
- •This tool gives a recommended method, not a cost estimate; see the cost calculators for pricing.
Questions this tool answers
What is the difference between a reroute and a repipe
A reroute replaces one problem line, usually run overhead through the attic or crawl space instead of under the slab. A full repipe replaces all of the supply piping in the home, typically because the pipe material itself is failing everywhere, not just at one leak.
Why does galvanized pipe usually mean a full repipe
Galvanized steel pipe corrodes from the inside along its whole length, so a leak in one spot is a sign the rest of the run is close behind it. Patching one section rarely prevents the next leak.
What is epoxy lining and when does it come up as a runner-up
Epoxy lining coats the inside of existing pipe without removing it, an alternative to opening the slab when a spot repair is possible but more leaks are likely in the same aging pipe run.
Does this tool tell me the cost
No. This tool only recommends a method. Use the repair method it recommends with the slab leak cost calculator (or the repipe cost calculator, if it recommends a full repipe) to see a price range.