Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe warns August is peak slab leak season

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe says late summer heat and dry clay soil make August the highest-risk month for slab leaks in Montgomery County. The company is urging homeowners to check for unexplained spikes in water bills and other warning signs before hidden leaks drive up costs.

Why it matters: - Late summer slab leaks can run for months before homeowners notice, driving up water bills and increasing the chance of foundation-related damage. - In Montgomery County, dry August soil can shift under slab foundations and stress buried water lines. - Catching a leak early can limit repair costs and reduce wasted water.

What happened: - Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe warned Montgomery County homeowners to watch water bills closely during the hottest, driest part of the summer. - The company said late summer is the region’s heaviest stretch for slab leaks because expansive clay soil swells when wet and shrinks when dry. - The company said the first clue is often a higher water bill, not visible water damage. - A spokesperson said slab leaks often go unnoticed for months and can be hard to spot inside a home.

The details: - Southeast Texas clay soil can pull away from and move beneath concrete slab foundations during hot, dry August weather. - Water lines running through or under the slab do not move with the foundation, which can lead to pinhole leaks and joint failures. - Common warning signs include a water bill that rises without a change in usage, the sound of running water when fixtures are off, a warm spot on a floor, damp patches, warped or cupped flooring, a musty smell in one room, lower water pressure, and new cracks in drywall, the slab, or exterior brick. - Homeowners can test for a possible leak by turning off every fixture and appliance that uses water and checking whether the water meter still moves. - Late summer usage from irrigation, pools, and heavier household demand can make a leak look like normal seasonal spending. - Pool leaks can be masked by Texas summer evaporation, and homeowners may keep topping off a leaking pool without realizing it. - The company recommends the bucket test for pools: place a filled bucket on a pool step, mark the water level inside the bucket and on the pool wall, leave the pump running for 24 hours, then compare the two levels. - If the pool level drops more than the bucket level, the water is likely escaping somewhere other than evaporation. - Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe offers electronic leak detection for slab, water line, and pool leaks. - Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe answers the phone 24 hours a day for plumbing emergencies. - The company backs its scheduling with a punctuality guarantee that pays customers $5 for every minute a technician is late, up to $300. - Homeowners can request service at (936) 283-6808 or book online at benjaminfranklinplumbing.com/conroe.

Between the lines: - The warning frames slab leaks as a seasonal maintenance issue, not just an emergency repair problem. - The focus on water bills reflects how hidden these leaks are in homes built on slab foundations. - Pool leaks are part of the same summer pattern, since heat can make normal evaporation and actual water loss look similar.

What's next: - Homeowners in Montgomery County are likely to see the clearest warning signs in August and early fall if a leak is already underway. - Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Conroe is positioning leak detection and emergency service as the next step for anyone who spots a sudden bill increase or other warning sign.

The bottom line: - In dry late-summer conditions, a rising water bill may be the earliest and most important sign of a slab leak.