Plumbing issues

[Blueszilla]

Ok, I gots me a problem and maybe some of the more plumbing savvy members here might chime in with some advice.

It seems I have a hot water line leak under the concrete foundation of my house. I'm pretty sure it is the hot water line, as the outlet at the HW heater keeps running with all other valves closed. The HW runs out quickly, even with the tank full. I've contacted a plumber friend and he feels the same.

Let's assume it really is as I've described. What alternatives do I have instead of breaking the foundation and repairing the line? Busting out the concrete will take some time, and significant expense, as well as possibly destroying the tile floor and shower surround, which is also tile.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Trevorus]

Cut that part of the line out and route around it. Kind of like a heart bypass.

Run through walls (well insulated from the outside to prevent freezing) and come into the back side of the shower.

 

[Pilgrim]

I think Trevorus has about the only option - route around it using a path that provides insulation from the outdoors. It would be cheaper to open up walls than the slab.

 

[Johnny Mack]

do you know where the leak is? there are companies that come out with an ultrasonic or sonar or something that can locate exactly where it is and fix the leak. maybe i missed something, but you cant just reroute a pipe without isolating the open ends with valves either at the leak or upstream where you start your reroute. dont forget to valve it downstream the leak, too, so it doesnt backflow into the slab/ground. if youre going to valve it off and run new lines, you might as well just find the leak and fix it. good luck.

 

[Blueszilla]

Thanks, guys.

I've contacted a plumbing contractor with leak detecting services as part of the deal. I'm pretty sure the leak is on a line where it dead-ends with the master bath shower. The HW line coming into the bathroom tees at that point, one to the lavatory and the other to the shower. If the leak truly is on the dead-end line to the shower, I might be able to get away with going around the leak and replacing the copper with flex line in the wall, and then I won't have to worry about the breaking up the slab, which I really don't want to do.

Thanks!

 

[Trevorus]

do you know where the leak is? there are companies that come out with an ultrasonic or sonar or something that can locate exactly where it is and fix the leak. maybe i missed something, but you cant just reroute a pipe without isolating the open ends with valves either at the leak or upstream where you start your reroute. dont forget to valve it downstream the leak, too, so it doesnt backflow into the slab/ground. if youre going to valve it off and run new lines, you might as well just find the leak and fix it. good luck.

What I was meaning is to separate the circuit from the broken part entirely. Find a spot before the leak and cut it. Then run new pipe from there to a spot after the leak, essentially leaving the pipe with the leak where it is, but unconnected on both ends.

 

[EricF]

As J-Mack said, a leak detection company should be able to help you pin-point the leak. I recently used such a company to locate a leak in a 10" PVC line 15' underground. What you're describing should be pretty easy for a competent leak detector. If a new line can be re-routed, that sounds like a much better - and faster - job than having to jack-hammer out part of the floor slab.

 

[Blueszilla]

What I was meaning is to separate the circuit from the broken part entirely. Find a spot before the leak and cut it. Then run new pipe from there to a spot after the leak, essentially leaving the pipe with the leak where it is, but unconnected on both ends.

Yeah, this is what I'm thinking is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive way to go.

 

[Johnny Mack]

+1 , i guess i didnt realize what exactly trevorus was saying.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

Try and consume more fibre