Need sprinkler pipe repair advice

[widebody911]

I have a leak in one of my sprinkler lines. It's under a 25'x45' slab that I don't really want to cut into. I know it's leaking because when the the line is active, after about 3 minutes, water comes bubbling up through the seam between the slab and the sidewalk. The guy who did the slab cheaped out and used the thinnest PVC; I think it just happened to be whatever was laying around.

I've had the circuit turned off for some time now, as I didn't really care about what was getting watered on the other side; now I do.

I need to get water to the other side now, and don't want to perpetuate the leak. I've been trying to research my options.

* I think this is too far of a span to try to use one of those garden hose hydraulic blasters.
* Perhaps run a smaller diameter of PEX through the existing, and simply live with the lower pressure and flow
* hire a professional company to pull a new line or plenum
* is there a way to reach in there and install a plug of some sort?

I'm open to ideas. The placement of the submerged 'tee' is approximate; it's somewhere under the slab. I suspect (hope!) it's a straight shot through the tee on the left side.

[mikeatfhc]

You could use underground directional boring... they can easily reach that if you HAVE TO go under the slab with a new line.

here's a company.

HOME

[Crowbob]

If possible, cap the line before it goes under the slab. Reroute the line around the slab then reattach.

[GWN7]

A thermal imaging camera will pinpoint the leak. If you don't want to drill the slab to repair Crowbob's advise would be my advise.

[widebody911]

There's not really any way to go around the slab.

There's one line in, a tee, and two outs; there is no way to cap the pipe ahead of the leak.

[GWN7]

As mentioned thermal imaging camera with find the leak. Concrete saw the spot replace the bad part of the line. Fill the hole. Options are: Cut and patch, rip out driveway, tunnel under driveway.

[Tobra]

Like Bruce says. Saw cut it, put in a new line and put the "T" on the far side of the slab.

Maybe call these guys, local I think.
Trenchless Sewer Repair & Sewer Replacement | Rooter | Leak Repair | Trenchless Co. Plumbing

[porsche4life]

We had a leak under our driveway that I was trying to figure out how to fix. One day the lawn guy was adjusting the sprinklers and noticed it, told me he'd fix it for $75. I told him to get on it! No clue how he fixed it but I know I came home from work the next week and he had dug on both sides of the drive, and it no longer leaked! I didn't ask questions!

[911boost]

What is the diameter of the line?

Edit, also what is around the slab. Some more info would help, I have dealt with leaks like this...

[Crowbob]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

We had a leak under our driveway that I was trying to figure out how to fix. One day the lawn guy was adjusting the sprinklers and noticed it, told me he'd fix it for $75. I told him to get on it! No clue how he fixed it but I know I came home from work the next week and he had dug on both sides of the drive, and it no longer leaked! I didn't ask questions!

He probably cut both ends of the line, attached a hose to one end, pulled the line out, fixed the leak then pulled the line back thru and reattached both ends.

[widebody911]

Here's an old picture (4 or 5 years ago?) of the layout. The area on the left is where I'm trying to get watered. You can see the wet spot on the sidewalk to the left of the driveway; the red "X" is approximately where the water comes up through the concrete.

[Crowbob]

If there's a concrete joint in front of the garage, and if you know where the T in the line is, I'd cut it out at the T and cap the branch off. Then I'd put a T near the fence and run it to where you need water.

[fintstone]

I would run a single new line from right to left using the "blaster" method. You can do the entire '25 ft (12.5 from each side). I would then put the "T" on the left side and run the line parallel to the drive. A "T" under the concrete was a bad idea.

[rusnak]

There is a water pipe in front of the wooden fence?

[widebody911]

Here's what it looks like now:

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

If there's a concrete joint in front of the garage, and if you know where the T in the line is, I'd cut it out at the T and cap the branch off. Then I'd put a T near the fence and run it to where you need water.

The "tee" is somewhere under the older slab on the right side. I don't know its exact location.

[widebody911]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Maybe call these guys, local I think.
Trenchless Sewer Repair & Sewer Replacement | Rooter | Leak Repair | Trenchless Co. Plumbing

I've sent a request via their contact page; we'll see what happens.

[MBAtarga]

Originally Posted by fintstone

I would run a single new line from right to left using the "blaster" method. You can do the entire '25 ft (12.5 from each side). I would then put the "T" on the left side and run the line parallel to the drive. A "T" under the concrete was a bad idea.

+1^

That by far is going to be the cheapest route and the quickest. There's no way you're going to want to foot the bill for any thermal type of location option, etc.

[carambola]

i'm no expert but it feels like that tree is going to be a problem too

[dad911]

Screw the underground, run a new line through the garage, and on the back side of the fence.....