Slab leak water damage in central Las Vegas
Slab leak water damage is a leak in a line under the concrete floor, and LVVWD's meter test is the quickest way to tell if water is moving when every tap is off.
Check the meter first
LVVWD gives a simple test. Turn off all water inside and outside the home, then watch the flow indicator on the meter. If it keeps moving, you may have a leak. Close the main shutoff and check again. If the indicator still moves, the leak is likely underground between the meter and the valve. If it stops, the leak is past the valve, which is where a slab line sits.
Why the timeline matters
Slab leaks are slow by nature, and homeowners policy forms on file with the Nevada Division of Insurance treat slow water differently from a sudden burst. An American Family form excludes seepage over one week or longer. A USAA form uses 14 days. An ISO based AAA endorsement keeps coverage for seepage that was unknown to everyone in the home and hidden inside walls, ceilings or floors. The date you found the leak, and how, is part of the claim.
What we do after the plumber
The plumber repairs or reroutes the line. We find where the water spread with meters, lift flooring that holds water, open wall bottoms that read wet, and dry the slab and framing. Concrete gives up water slowly, so we read it until it reaches target rather than pulling gear on a set day.
The first hour
| Clock | Action | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 0 min | Get people out of the water | Do not walk or drive through moving water. Ready.gov says six inches of moving water can knock you down and one foot can sweep a car away. |
| 2 min | Stop the source if you safely can | For a pipe, close the main shutoff. LVVWD says it is usually in the front yard near the sewer riser cap, in the garage or at the home's manifold. |
| 5 min | Keep away from wet power | Ready.gov says not to touch electrical equipment that is wet or while you stand in water. Leave the breaker panel alone if the floor around it is wet. |
| 10 min | Call or text (702) 602-9420 | Tell us where the water came from, which rooms are wet and whether it came in from outside. That decides the crew and the gear. |
| 15 min | Photograph everything before it moves | Wide shots of each room, close shots of the water line on walls, and the source. Your insurer will ask for these. |
| 30 min | Lift and separate | Move rugs, boxes and furniture off wet floors. Put foil or wood blocks under furniture legs that must stay. |
| 45 min | Treat flood water as dirty | Floodwater can be contaminated, per Ready.gov. Wear gloves and boots. Keep children and pets out. |
| 60 min | Start the 48 hour clock | EPA says to dry water damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth. Extraction and drying should start inside that window. |
Local numbers behind this page
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Seepage cutoff, American Family form | 1 week | American Family homeowners form HO 80 03 01 14 |
| Seepage cutoff, USAA form | 14 days | USAA homeowners form HO 3R |
| LVVWD water hardness | about 16 gpg | Las Vegas Valley Water District |
| City of Las Vegas Building and Safety | (702) 229-6251 | City of Las Vegas |