In the last few weeks, I've noticed different spots in my tiled kitchen floor and carpeted living room that have warm spots. I spoke with a flooring contractor and he told me it was probably just a gas line from the heater to the dishwasher. Problem is, the warm spots don't go near the installed dish washer. They do seem to follow a straight path though just not in front of any appliances. The flooring/home are 20 years old.

I don't see how a gas line could warm up under a concrete slab foundation and expand the heat upward in certain various spots.

Any ideas and or suggestions. Thanks!

Broken hot water pipe under the slab? Is your water meter turning when all your faucets & appliances are shut off?

Gas lines under the floors are illegal. But they blow up houses, they do not heat the floors. You have a broken hot water line under the concrete floor. If not repaired, eventually you will not have any hot water because it will be leaking faster than the heater can make it. When that happens DO NOT replace the water heater because you will have the same problem with the new one.

It's the water line. It's "hammer time"!

I just checked the meter outside with all faucets and appliances turned off. The meter was not running. Just to make sure the meter was running properly I turned on the water in the kitchen. When I checked the meter, the numbers were tumbling.

Is it possible the "leak" is so small (pin hole) it wouldn't register on the meter?

I suppose my next step would be to contract with a leak specialist as part of the diagnostic part of my problem?

Is there any other possible explanation for the problem?

Thanks again for the replies!

Is there any other possible explanation for the problem?

Only one I can think of...



On the water meter there are the numbers, the dial and a little triangle leak indicator.
Is the leak indicator completely still with everything off?

Do you have a recirculation system?

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do you have baseboard heat? Im guessing the heat lines are run through your slab and you are feeling the heat radiate.

Maybe turn your heat off and see if it goes away

Well, I was able to eliminate, on my own, any possible volcanic eruptions as the possible cause of the heat....thanks for that suggestion though!

I went ahead a called out a plumber and the verdict is.......

SLAB LEAK. Yippee! He was able to pin point (no pun intended)the leak in a specific spot in the kitchen. So tommorrow is HAMMER TIME!

Thanks for everyone's imput. This is a great resource.

If it were too small to register on the meter, it would be too small to cause hot spots on the floor. There are few other reasons, unless the hot spots have been there since the house was built.

It is a flow indicator, not a leak indicator.

Did he suggest you call your homeowner's insurance company like most good plumbers would?

That would be a great suggestion. Frequently homeowners insurance has coverage on these.

They don't pay to actually fix the pipe though...

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Fixing the pipe is usually the cheapest part of the whole job. The only time I do not suggest calling them is when the access/replacement is going to be less than their deductible.

Thanks jimmy, that gave me a good laugh.. money time.

I have never had a customer say this :

"SLAB LEAK. Yippee!"

Can I be your plumber?

I have the same problem of warm tile spots that are getting increasingly larger in the last 2 years I live on the side of the mountain and there is no soil beneath my home. It is set on a hollowed side of the mountain and there is only caliche under the rock. Hmmm wouldn't THAT be interesting if it were something to do with the mountain?

ihave the same problem and hired a leak detection company to come out and pinpoint the leak. After an hour they decided the leak was to large for them to pinpoint it to a specific area or tiles and since they couldnt pinpoint the leak they diodnt charge me.
My next question is what would you suggest my next step be?