A water pipe leak under the garage slab — how we found it, the dead ends, and the quick decision that fixed it.
Leak started ~October 2024. Confirmed December 2024. Fixed January 25, 2025.
Did some investigating on my own: checked the water meter, shut off all water inside, meter still spinning → confirmed leak, and it's on my side of the meter. Checked inside the house — no visible leaks. That meant the leak was somewhere between the meter and the house, likely under the garage slab where the water line runs.
Infinity Plumbing came out. Their guy did some poking around outside the house first (kinda funny watching him probe the yard), ruled out an exterior leak, and confirmed the leak was under the garage slab.
Two options:
The original idea was simple: feed a thick wire through the existing copper pipe from one end to the other, then pull a new PEX pipe through the same path. Quick, clean, minimal digging.
Problem: The old copper pipe had multiple bends under the slab. They couldn't push the wire through — it kept getting stuck. They even dug a hole in the yard between the meter and the house, trying to find the pipe mid-run and access it from a middle point. Couldn't find it.
Made the call quickly: abandon the old pipe, reroute above ground. No point wasting more time and money trying to work with the old pipe.
New PEX pipe route:
The old copper pipe is still sitting under the slab — capped off and abandoned. Not worth excavating to remove.
The new pipe is visible in the garage, but it works perfectly and avoids the slab entirely.
Also added: outdoor water outlet before the pressure regulator — gives high-pressure, direct water for washing cars. Smart add-on since they were already running new pipe.
Hoped home insurance would cover it. Nope. They didn't cover any of it — not the leak, not the repair, nothing. Pipe leaks under slabs are generally considered maintenance/wear, not covered events. $3,500 out of pocket.
| PEX | Copper | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Cheaper | Expensive |
| Flexibility | Flexible — fewer joints, can bend around obstacles | Rigid — needs fittings at every turn |
| Corrosion | Resistant | Can corrode over time |
| Freezing | Resistant (expands without cracking) | Can burst |
PEX was the obvious choice, especially for a reroute with multiple bends.
| Company | Scope | Price |
|---|---|---|
| The Plumbing Authority | Full PEX replacement | $5,100 |
| Infinity Plumbing Service | Full PEX replacement | $3,500 |
Infinity Plumbing Service — $3,500 (full PEX replacement + outdoor high-pressure outlet)