Water Coming Up Under the Floor: Do This Right Now
A slab leak can soak flooring fast, and it keeps running while you sleep. Call us at any hour, because our dispatch line is open 24/7. Close the main shutoff valve first, then open one faucet low in the house to relieve pressure.
Stay off wet floors near outlets, power strips and appliances. Lift rugs and move furniture to dry ground, and pull up any electronics that sit on the floor. Do not run a wet-dry vacuum through standing water that touches an outlet.
Take a picture of the wet area and the water meter. If the meter keeps turning with the main closed, the leak sits on the line before your house, and our water service line repair page covers that case.
Signs the Leak Is Under Your Slab
Slab leaks hide, so the clues are indirect. This Old House lists the common ones, and they match what callers tell us. Several together make a slab leak far more likely than any single sign.
A warm patch on tile or wood usually means a hot line is leaking beneath it. The sound of running water with every fixture off points the same way. Cracks that open along baseboards, damp carpet that returns after drying and a musty smell near one room complete the picture.
- Warm spots on the floor, with no heating system under it
- The sound of running water when everything is off
- Wall or baseboard cracks that appear or widen
- Low pressure at faucets, or a water bill that jumped
- Standing water near the foundation or a persistent damp odor
- Carpet that stays damp in one area
Why Slab Leaks Show Up in South Florida Homes
Slab-on-grade is the normal foundation for new single-family houses in the South Atlantic region. NAHB analysis of Census data puts the figure at 85.7 percent for 2024. That number covers new construction in a large region and says nothing about any one older house, so we confirm the foundation type at every visit.
Dania Beach has a median home build year of 1977, according to Census data. Pipe buried for decades can corrode from the outside, rub against concrete or fail at a joint. Pressure and soil movement add wear. We cannot say which cause hit your house until we expose the pipe.
A class action in nearby Miramar alleges that its treated water causes pinhole leaks in copper pipe. The city denies this and says its water meets regulatory standards. Those are claims, not findings, and Dania Beach runs a separate water system.
How We Confirm It Is Under the Concrete
Opening a slab on a hunch is expensive, so we test first. We close the main valve, attach a pressure-test gauge and watch whether the needle falls. Then we close branch valves one at a time to learn which line loses pressure.
- Run the meter test. A dial that moves with the house shut off says the leak is real and is under pressure.
- Isolate the hot side from the cold side at the water heater. A leak on only one side narrows the search.
- Use electronic listening on the floor, walking a grid and noting where the sound is loudest.
- Confirm with a second signal such as a thermal image of warm tile or a moisture reading.
- Mark the spot on the floor and show you the evidence before any cutting begins.
Spot Repair, Reroute or Repipe: Choosing the Fix
There are three realistic repairs, and the best one depends on the pipe's age and how many leaks it has. We explain all three and give a price once we have seen the line. The table compares them in plain terms.
| Option | What it involves | Best when | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spot repair | Cut the slab over the leak, replace a short section of pipe, patch the concrete | One leak in an otherwise sound line | More leaks can follow if the pipe is old |
| Reroute | Abandon the leaking line and run new PEX through the attic or walls to the same fixtures | Pipe is old or the leak sits under cabinets or tile you want to keep | Needs wall or ceiling access and drywall patching |
| Repipe | Replace most or all supply lines in the house | Several leaks, or old pipe throughout | Highest upfront cost, widest disruption |
Rerouting a Line Instead of Breaking the Floor
A reroute starts at the point where the line leaves the wall or manifold and finishes at the fixture. New PEX goes through the attic space and down inside a wall, so the concrete stays whole. The old line is capped and left in the slab.
We cut small access openings in drywall and patch them afterward. Where a wall is tile or a tub surround, we look for a path through a closet or cabinet. If no route exists, spot repair is the answer, and we say so up front.
The Florida Building Code, Plumbing (8th Edition, 2023, based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code, IPC), is the code the work follows. Permit rules vary, so ask the Dania Beach Building Division what applies to your address before the job starts.
Condos, Mobile Homes and Rentals
Only 21.7 percent of Dania Beach housing units are detached single-family homes, and about 12.4 percent are mobile homes. A ground-floor condo may have a slab leak that touches a neighbor's unit and the association's pipes. A mobile home is built differently, so tell us what you live in when you call.
Landlords and managers should photograph the damage and record when the tenant first noticed the problem. That timeline matters for repairs, deposits and insurance. Our leak detection service can document the source before any repair is priced.
What to Do Before We Arrive
These steps protect the house and speed up the diagnosis.
- Close the main shutoff and open a low faucet to bleed off pressure.
- Move rugs, furniture and electronics off wet flooring.
- Photograph wet areas, cracks and the meter reading.
- Write down when you first noticed the warm spot, sound or bill increase.
- Clear a path to the water heater and the main valve.
- Tell us your foundation type, the age of the house and whether it has been repiped.
- Call your insurer or property manager, and keep their claim number handy.
What Slab Leak Repair Costs in South Florida
National published guides put slab leak repair at about $630 to $4,400, with averages near $2,300. Another guide gives $1,000 to $4,000, with extremes from $600 to $15,000. Florida prices vary, and we have no Broward-specific figure to quote.
Those ranges often include finding the leak. Breaking and repairing the concrete can add $300 to $6,750 in one guide. Reroute prices differ widely between guides, from $600 to $4,000 in one and $1,500 to $15,000 in another.
What moves the price
- Depth and location. A line under a kitchen island costs more to reach than one in a hallway.
- Floor finish. Tile, stone and wood floors cost more to restore than bare concrete.
- Number of leaks. A second leak on the same line tips the choice toward a reroute or repipe.
- Pipe material. Copper, galvanized steel and polybutylene each fail in different ways.
- Access for a reroute. A clear attic route is cheaper than finishing walls and ceilings in several rooms.
| Work | Published range |
|---|---|
| Slab leak repair, national guides | $630 to $4,400, average near $2,300 |
| Slab leak detection, national guides | $150 to $400 |
| Reroute, national guides | $600 to $4,000 in one guide, $1,500 to $15,000 in another |
| Slab cutting and concrete patch, one guide | $300 to $6,750 extra |
Policies differ. Many cover sudden and accidental discharge and treat long-term seepage differently, and some cover the damage but not the pipe itself. Read your policy and call your insurer before concrete is broken, since an adjuster may want to see the leak first.
The price depends on where the line runs and which repair fits it. Call (954) 697-4920 and describe the symptoms, and we will explain what the first test would show.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you handle slab leak repair emergencies at night or on weekends in Dania?
Yes. Our dispatch line runs 24/7, and a plumber can start with a pressure test even after hours. We cannot promise an arrival time by phone. Close your main valve while you wait.
How do I know if I have a slab leak or a normal plumbing leak?
A warm floor, running-water sound with everything off and a meter that keeps turning are the strongest signs. A leak under a sink or behind a toilet is visible and is not a slab leak. Testing is the only way to be sure.
Can you fix a slab leak without breaking my floor?
Often yes. A reroute through the attic leaves the slab intact, though it needs drywall access. When no clear route exists, spot repair through the slab is the alternative. See also burst pipe repair if a line has split.
Is a slab leak covered by homeowners insurance?
It depends on your policy. Sudden damage is usually treated differently from slow leaks, and coverage for the pipe itself varies. Ask your insurer before concrete is cut, and keep photos of the damage.
Should I repipe the whole house after one slab leak?
Not always. One leak in sound pipe can be repaired, while repeated leaks, old galvanized or polybutylene pipe point toward a repipe. We show you the pipe and explain our reasoning before you decide.
I rent a house in Dania Beach. Who should call?
Report the leak to your landlord or manager in writing right away and photograph the damage. The owner or manager can authorize repairs, and we take calls from either of you across Dania Beach and nearby West Park. If the water is spreading, close the main valve.
How soon should I act on a warm spot on the floor?
Soon. Hot-line leaks waste energy and water, and the damage spreads under flooring. Call (954) 697-4920 and we will help you decide whether the matter is urgent tonight.
Code reference: plumbing work in Florida falls under the Florida Building Code, Plumbing (8th Edition, 2023), which is based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC). Ask the Dania Beach Building Division whether your job needs a permit.