After a Slab Leak: Spot Repair, Reroute or Repipe?
Updated 2026-10 · Torrance, CA
The decision, in one sentence
Fix the spot if this is the first leak and the pipe around it looks sound; reroute if the leaking run is long, under expensive flooring, or has leaked before; repipe if leaks are turning up in more than one run or the system is galvanised.
Option 1: open the floor at the mark
The technician cuts and breaks out a section of slab, usually a couple of feet square, at the located point, replaces the failed piece of pipe, pressure-tests, backfills and patches the concrete. Flooring goes back over it.
Good for
A first leak with a confident location, under carpet or vinyl that is easy to relay, in a pipe that looks healthy on either side of the hole.
Watch for
Tile you cannot match, a location under a kitchen island or a built-in, and a pipe that is thin or pitted next to the repair. A spot repair on worn pipe often buys a year or two before the next pinhole a few feet away.
Option 2: reroute the run
The leaking line is cut off and capped at each end and left in the slab. A new line, PEX or copper, runs from the nearest accessible point through the attic and drops down a wall to the fixture. No concrete is broken.
Good for
Hot lines to a kitchen or bathroom on the far side of the house, leaks under hardwood or tile, and houses that have had one earlier leak on the same line.
Watch for
How much drywall opens, and who repairs it. And whether the rest of the system is the same age: a reroute fixes one run, not the pipe you still have under the floor.
Option 3: repipe the house
Every supply line is replaced and moved overhead, nothing left in the slab. It costs the most and it ends the problem. The case is strongest after a second or third leak, when a locator finds more than one weak point, or when the house is galvanised and pressure is already poor. Add up what the first two spot repairs and their flooring cost before deciding a repipe is the expensive option.
Second leak already, or the first one under tile you cannot replace? Call and talk it through before choosing.
Questions that settle it
- How many leaks has the house had, and on which lines?
- What does the pipe look like where it was exposed: smooth, or pitted and thin?
- What flooring is over the leak, and can it be matched?
- How long do you plan to stay in the house?
- Will you sell soon? A repipe is a selling point; a history of slab repairs is a disclosure.
Insurance and paperwork
Whatever you choose, photograph the located leak, keep the detection report and get the repair invoice itemised. Insurers that cover access and damage want to see them, and a future buyer's inspector will ask about past slab leaks.
Where to go next
Common questions
Is epoxy pipe lining an option for slab leaks?
Some companies offer it for supply lines. Ask about the warranty, the condition the pipe must be in for it to work, and how it compares in price with a reroute.
Does a reroute need a permit?
Generally, yes, as plumbing work. Confirm with Torrance Building and Safety and ask who pulls it.
Can I repipe in stages?
Yes. Hot side first is common after hot-line slab leaks, with the cold side later.