FAQs About Plumbing Leaks and Foundation Repairs

How can a plumbing leak affect your home's foundation? Plumbing system leaks do more than just waste water. This type of moisture issue can cause damage throughout your home—including the foundation. If you recently discovered a leak, take a look at what you need to know about plumbing problems and your home's foundation.

How Could Your Home's Plumbing System Impact the Foundation?



Water can cause the soil under your home to shift. Whether this is groundwater that comes from torrential rains or water that leaks from the pipes in your plumbing system, a moisture problem can result in serious foundation issues.

When water leaks into the soil it can leave pockets or spaces under and around the foundation. It can also over saturate the soil. This causes the ground under the foundation to expand. As the soil dries, it contracts. This type of environment doesn't provide the stability the foundation needs, which results in movement over time and left untreated can cause major issues underneath your home that will only get bigger.

How Does Water Get From the Plumbing System Into the Ground?

The plumbing system transports water in and out of your home through a series of pipes. These pipes are made from materials such as copper or thermoplastic materials. Even though the water should stay inside of the plumbing system, over time the pipes can corrode or disintegrate. This will cause breaks, holes in the pipes or at the joints. Along with corrosion, damage from tree roots, wear and tear, and some types of weather can cause pipes to leak.

While a leak in your second-floor bathroom pipes may not reach the foundation, basement leaks and leaks in pipes that bring water in and out of your home may saturate and erode the soil. These slab leaks are often challenging to spot. Unlike a leak in your bathroom or kitchen, you may not see or hear the water dripping or rushing out of the pipe, but you may notice puddles or wet spots inside of your home.

Without early detection, these leaks can force water under and around the foundation for weeks, months, or longer periods of time. This makes it important to know the signs of a shifting foundation and to contact a qualified foundation repair contractor as soon as you discover the problem.

What Are the Signs of a Plumbing Leak-Related Foundation Problem?

Without clear signs of the leak itself, you will need to rely on the signs of a shifting foundation to spot a problem. As a home's foundation begins to shift or sink, it can affect doors, windows, and floors. Misaligned doors and windows that won't close or large separations around doors are common red flags that signal a foundation problem.

If your interior doors stick, don't line up with the frames correctly, or the windows won't open and close easily, it's possible the foundation is at fault. As a foundation shifts, the house moves in a way that can cause frames to pull away from the walls or significant misalignment. While there are other potential causes, you should have a professional inspect the foundation to be sure.

Along with misaligned doors and windows, sagging or uneven floors, exterior or interior wall cracks, siding that buckles or warps, and bowing walls can also signal a foundation issue. These problems also require a professional assessment from a foundation contractor.

What Can You Do To Fix the Problem?

This type of problem requires a two-step repair. A foundation repair alone will not completely fix the problem. Even though you will need a professional to repair and restore your home's foundation, repeated exposure to water will cause it to shift again.

Along with a foundation repair, you will also need to find the source of the plumbing leak and contract a professional to fix it. This will stop the water and prevent future foundation damage.

Does your home have a leak-related foundation problem? Contact Texas Foundation Experts for more information.