A slab leak in Selma is a water line leaking under a concrete floor, most likely in a house on grade, a slab addition or a converted garage. With over half of Selma's homes built before 1980, a plumber will often look at the whole buried line before choosing a repair. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Selma.
About Selma's homes
Selma is an older railroad town next to Smithfield. The median home was built in 1974, and about 55% of homes predate 1980, per Census survey data. Older houses in the area were commonly built on crawl spaces, where leaking pipe can be reached from below; slab leaks are more likely in houses poured on grade and later additions. Selma's main water system runs on town wells and uses chlorine, while a separate Selma-Countyline system distributes water bought from Johnston County East. The sources we found don't say where the town's responsibility for a service line ends.
Steps to take now
- Stop all water use. Faucets, toilets, appliances and outdoor taps.
- Test the meter. Read it, wait an hour, read it again.
- Close the main valve. A meter that stops means the leak is inside the house.
- Check the floor. Look for warmth, damp flooring or mildew along walls.
- Ask the town about the meter. If the leak seems to be at the meter, call Selma's water department before hiring.
- Call a plumber. If water is surfacing, keep the main closed.
Symptoms and causes
| Symptom | Possible cause |
|---|---|
| Meter moving with everything off | A leak somewhere after the meter |
| Warm spot on a slab floor | Hot water line leaking under concrete |
| Repeated leaks over a few years | Old buried pipe wearing out |
| Damp floor next to a bathroom | Slab leak, or a leaking drain or fixture |
| Weak pressure on one side of the house | Leak on the line feeding that area |
Cost depends on
- Locating. Older homes with several buried runs take longer to test.
- Repair or replace. A single fix versus replacing worn pipe.
- Access. Tile, tubs and cabinets over the leak.
- Permits. Selma requires town zoning approval first, then Johnston County Building Inspections.
When you're connected with an independent plumber who works in Selma, describe what the meter did, whether the room is original to the house, and whether you've had leaks before. In a 1970s house, that history helps the plumber decide quickly whether a single slab repair is worth doing or whether the buried line should be retired and replaced with a new route.
Slab Leak Repair questions in Selma
After one slab leak, should I expect more?
Our house sits over a crawl space. Is a slab leak still possible?
Does slab leak work need a permit, and who issues it?
What's the simplest way to use the water meter to check for a leak I can't see?
More plumbing services in Selma
Slab Leak Repair nearby
Sources
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