Slab Leak Signs in Florida Homes
These houses sit on a concrete slab, not over a basement. A warm floor, a jumping bill or a meter that never sits still is worth taking seriously — and worth checking the easy things first.
Most Florida homes have no basement to look into
Houses from Fort Pierce through Melbourne are typically built on a concrete slab, not over a crawl space or a basement. Hot- and cold-water lines may run under that slab to reach bathrooms and the kitchen. When one of those lines leaks, the water has nowhere obvious to go. It can warm a patch of floor, stain a baseboard, soak a carpet edge, or simply disappear until the water bill jumps or the meter won't sit still.
That does not mean every high bill is a slab leak. A running toilet or a valve in a cabinet still causes a large share of "hidden" leaks. We start there, on purpose.
Signs that are worth a closer look
- A warm or unusually damp spot on a concrete or tile floor when the rest of the floor is cool
- A water bill that rose without more people in the house or a change in how you use water
- The sound of running or hissing water when every fixture is off
- A meter leak indicator that keeps moving after you have turned everything off (see the step-by-step test on signs of a leak)
- Baseboards, carpet edges or floor seams that stay damp, or tile that starts to lift in one area
- Low water pressure that you cannot tie to one faucet
Irrigation, a softener on a timer, or a hose bib left open can also move the meter. Rule those out, then call (772) 203-5437 with what you saw.
What we will — and will not — promise
If the leak is at a fixture, we repair it. If the clues point under a slab or inside a wall, we'll explain what we found and what reaching the line would involve before anyone opens a floor. We do not claim that a microphone, a camera or a thermal image will find every leak, and this page does not advertise a "slab leak specialty." The point is a straight answer about the next step.
See also hidden leaks and what to check when the bill jumps.
Town pages: Sebastian, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, Palm Bay and Melbourne.
Slab leak questions
How do I know if I have a slab leak?
You often don't, not from one clue. Common signs in a slab-on-grade Florida home are a warm spot on the floor, a water bill that jumped without more use, the sound of running water when everything is off, a meter that keeps moving, or a patch of flooring, carpet or baseboard that stays damp. Those signs can also be a running toilet or a leak in a wall. We start with the fixtures and the meter, then talk through what the next step would involve.
Do you use special slab-leak equipment?
We start with what you can see and hear, the fixtures, and the meter. If a leak may be under a slab, we'll explain what we found and what opening things up would involve. We don't claim a special tool will find every leak, and we don't guess.
What should I do if I think water is under the floor?
If you can hear water running, or you see water spreading, shut the main off if you know where it is and call us. Stay out of standing water near outlets. If it's only a warm spot or a high bill, do the meter test on our signs-of-a-leak page, then call with what you saw. Open Monday–Friday, 8 AM–6 PM. Emergency service may be available after hours, so call and ask.
Worried the leak is under the floor?
Call (772) 203-5437. Tell us about the bill, the meter, and any warm spots or stains.