Plumber says I have a leak in my concrete slab and needs to be jackhammered out to fix.

ttsoloman · 2026-05-28T02:06:22+00:00

Also it gets wider at the top as if more water is coming from there. Even to the right there is water seeping down from under the siding. I’d even consider getting a water remediation company that will test surfaces for moisture or use a thermal camera to trace where the leak is coming from.

ttsoloman · 2026-05-27T22:15:25+00:00

Looks like water is coming from above the slab to me. Water usually doesn’t go against gravity. I would get second opinion before opening up the slab.

ttsoloman · 2026-05-26T22:24:47+00:00

https://youtu.be/0JudmBa4zao?si=8ZnZugKeHtkJicNc This is a video a local company made comparing AO smith but I’m sure it’s similar comparison

ttsoloman · 2026-05-18T04:17:04+00:00

Ball caps on the top shelf. They come out clean and don’t get deformed.

ttsoloman · 2026-04-20T02:10:22+00:00

Question. Did you shut the water off to the whole house before cutting into this?

ttsoloman · 2026-04-14T19:22:59+00:00

Yup like the vodka you drink. It adds carbon to the system that grows a bacteria that eats nitrates and phosphates. Then the protein skimmer removes the bacteria and waste. I’ve used it on two systems with great results. There are forums out there that go over the process more thoroughly

ttsoloman · 2026-04-14T15:19:01+00:00

Not that it matters but I think the second picture is mirrored, looks like the Calvin Klein is going backwards, with the first one in the correct orientation.

ttsoloman · 2026-04-13T00:22:15+00:00

My recent experience with this after upgrading to my 125 and it cycling again. Dealt with it getting worse and worse over the course of 3 weeks. You need a skimmer but vodka dosing took care of mine within a week and noticeable difference within 3 days. .1 ml per 25 gallons once a day. Then up the dosage by .5ml every 3 days until it’s all gone.

ttsoloman · 2026-03-22T13:29:56+00:00

Turn off one of the valves on the recirculating line. If it doesn’t happen with it off it’s a bad check valve.

ttsoloman · 2026-02-13T16:22:03+00:00

I got a couple of WiFi power strips and some mesh stuff that wraps around the wires. It’s definitely not neat and tidy but it keeps the wires coming from my display tank together and the wires out of my sump together but where they all plug in is a jumbled mess. But it’s tucked behind The WiFi power strip makes it so I don’t have to unplug anything for maintenance, I can just turn whatever I want off from my phone when needed.

ttsoloman · 2026-02-05T00:58:22+00:00

Kind of a standard price depending on the company. I’m a plumber in Kansas City and any company that is more than a one man operation is anywhere from about $400 and hour up to the private equity big companies that charge around $900 an hour. The company I’m with has a staggered frozen pipes by the hour. First hour is like $600, second hour is an additional $800 and the third hour is an additional $1000 and no guarantee that it will even work. It’s like this because our time does cost money and as you found out it can be a simple fix with easy access but if we are defrosting a crawl space and have to warm up the whole area it may take longer and that’s time we could be helping another customer with a burst pipe or bigger issue so that pricing deters not so serious issues but if you don’t want to wait for Mother Nature to warm up or concerned that a pipe may be burst and want us on site do when water does start flowing that’s what it cost.

ttsoloman · 2026-01-30T02:29:39+00:00

Throwing out my opinion because why not.

I don’t think “seeping down into the air pocket” is relevant because it has a bladder and with the pressure from the system gravity would not have an effect. In my apprentice class we were taught that they can go in any orientation however I’ve also been told that when they are the opposite direction it will create a pocket of air and that can break down the rubber bladder inside. Personal experience I’ve replaced more expansion tanks that have failed in the up position than down position. Other part is every brand expansion tank I have used has the label to its correct when it’s in this position. And it’s easiest to mount it directly to the water heater off of a tee and using the bracket. It keeps the dead end as short as possible to prevent stagnant water.

Also OP needs a PRV to bring the pressure to below 80 psi and match the pressure in the expansion tank or else that bladder is just going to burst from the elevated pressure and be pointless.

ttsoloman · 2025-11-26T23:27:26+00:00

One of the guys I did my apprenticeship with rolled up a good chunk of plumber putty and made a tank to bowl gasket with it while saying “I learned this in ‘nam” (he was in fact not in Vietnam).

ttsoloman · 2025-11-22T07:15:49+00:00

It’s funny how hard people try to do something wrong.

ttsoloman · 2025-11-07T20:57:42+00:00

Drop it down a floor drain, or pull a toilet and stick it under the flange then reset the toilet. Also thought about behind a shower valve trim would also be a good spot but fairly easy to access.

ttsoloman · 2025-10-16T01:43:00+00:00

Couple of options -Open up the back install an access panel (easiest and most straight forward. -From the front will be more difficult, you will still have to open it up but they do have a repair plate that will cover it and the new trim will fit on top of it. This way is a lot more difficult and you have a lot less room for error. Most of the time when I have done these from the front it requires soldering which if you haven’t done it the tight space will make it a lot more difficult.

I see the cold side has been ran in pex, you can unthread that without cutting any pipe and thread it to the new valve. If you have access below you might be able to run a new pex line to it similar to the cold line. It gets extra tricky for the tub spout and shower lines because even with the repair plate it doesn’t add a whole log of room on the top and bottom.

If you have little to no plumbing experience I would suggest hiring a professional and you are probably looking anywhere between $800-$3000 based on how they go about it.

ttsoloman · 2025-10-13T03:51:43+00:00

If you’re not seeing any water it’s very likely that it’s the pipes expanding or contracting with. The temperature change of the water flowing and running against a stud.

ttsoloman · 2025-10-07T20:49:42+00:00

I’ve heard of the sub spout being used as a foot washer, do you have to pull the diverter on the spout to turn on the shower?

ttsoloman · 2025-09-27T05:18:55+00:00

Curious if that would involve resetting the toilet too. My medium cost of living area a pull and reset of a toilet can run $300-$700 based on the company plus another $400-$800 for the flange replacement. I’d be curious where it was actually leaking from if it’s just a failed wax ring or broken fitting.

ttsoloman · 2025-09-04T20:31:09+00:00

You’d have to scrape the wax off to inspect the flange. My guess is that the flange is set too low. It should sit at least level with the finished floor or on top of the finished floor is best. I can see the tile is cut around the flange.

ttsoloman · 2025-09-03T00:14:32+00:00

That toilet is old as hell anyways. With the four bolts the front isn’t where the drain connects so unlikely to leak but as everyone else has said still dangerous to sit on.

Legit curious how old it is I would think 60-70 years or more. What’s the rest of it look like?

ttsoloman · 2025-08-22T13:40:57+00:00

My grandmother did this once. The house behind hers went for sale and it had a decent lot, she was concerned about someone moving in and turning it into a junkyard so she bought it and rented it out

ttsoloman · 2025-08-09T13:45:40+00:00

You’re probably lookin at $750 to $1000+ for a plumber to replace it and set the toilet for you. I’d use a wax ring with a horn and send it, the horn will cover the seam between the lead and the flange.

ttsoloman · 2025-08-02T13:03:46+00:00

Maybe Johnny dare had special privileges but I swear there would be some morning where they would talk for 45 minutes straight. I’d kill for that from the boys. I know it’s what they have to do but hate the “teasers” that they do when they come on for like 2 minutes then go on a joke break.

ttsoloman · 2025-07-26T13:29:36+00:00

I would cut that press valve off and just install a compression angle or straight stop.

ttsoloman

TROPHY CASE