Often, yes. Instead of jackhammering the slab, a plumber can cap the leaking underground line and run a new water line through walls or the ceiling. A reroute. It avoids concrete dust and patching. Spot repair and full repiping are the other options; the right choice depends on pipe age and condition.
The three ways to fix a slab leak
Once the leak is pinpointed, you have three real options. Every honest plumber should lay all three out before you decide.
1. Spot repair. Dig at the leak, fix that section
The concrete is opened directly above the located leak, the bad section of pipe is cut out, and a new section is joined in. Cheapest upfront, smallest footprint. The catch: the rest of that old line is still old. In a Citrus Heights home with 1970s copper or polybutylene under the slab, the next pinhole is often a matter of time, not chance.
2. Reroute. Abandon the underground line, run a new one overhead
The leaking line is capped off at both ends and left in the ground. A brand-new line runs through walls, the attic, or along the ceiling from the water heater or manifold to the fixtures. No jackhammer, no concrete dust, no patching a slab. This is the option most homeowners have never heard of, and the one that avoids tearing up finished floors.
3. Full repipe. Replace all the old lines at once
Every aging line gets replaced, usually rerouted overhead like option 2 but for the whole house. Highest upfront cost, but it ends the cycle of one pinhole after another in 40-plus-year-old pipe.
How a reroute actually works
- Map every line. The technician traces all water lines under the slab so the new route ties in at the right points.
- Cap the leaking section. The failed underground line is cut and capped at both ends, permanently taking it out of service.
- Run the new line. New pipe. Typically PEX or copper. Runs through the attic, walls, or ceiling chase to each fixture the old line served.
- Pressure-test and verify at the meter. With the new line live, the meter is checked: no movement means the leak is gone and the reroute holds.
Honest pros and cons
Reroute pros: no concrete demolition, no dust through the house, no slab patch to match, often done in a day or two, and the new line is accessible if it ever needs service. Reroute cons: more pipe and labor than a spot repair, and the new line runs through finished spaces. In an attic, Citrus Heights summer heat means it must be insulated properly.
Spot repair pros: lowest cost, fastest. Cons: you are betting the rest of the line holds. A bad bet on galvanized or polybutylene from the 1978 to 1995 era.
Full repipe pros: done with leaks for decades. Cons: the biggest check to write, and more disruption than a single reroute.
Which one is right for your house?
One pinhole in otherwise sound copper? Spot repair is reasonable. Two leaks in two years, or polybutylene anywhere in the system? Stop patching and reroute or repipe. Selling soon and need it fixed cleanly? A reroute with no slab damage photographs better than a patched floor. Ask whoever does your slab leak detection to price at least two of the three options. A company that only offers one is selling, not advising. Call (123) 456-7890 to talk through your situation.
Frequently asked questions
Is a reroute a permanent fix?
Yes. The failed underground line is permanently capped and abandoned, and the new overhead line is brand-new pipe. It does not depend on the old line holding.
Will I see pipes running across my ceilings?
No. The new line runs inside walls, the attic, or a ceiling chase. The same hidden paths your other plumbing already uses. You should not see it in finished rooms.
Does rerouting cost more than breaking the slab?
Usually more than a simple spot repair, because it uses more pipe and labor. But once you add concrete cutting, dust cleanup, and slab patching. Plus the risk of the next pinhole. Many homeowners find the total value favors the reroute. Get both priced.
My home has polybutylene pipes. Should I still spot-repair?
Almost certainly not. Polybutylene, common in homes built from 1978 to 1995, is failure-prone by material. Not by luck. Patching one section leaves the rest of the same pipe in the ground. Reroute or repipe is the honest recommendation.
How long does a reroute take?
Most single-line reroutes finish in one to two days, with water back on the same day the new line is tied in. A full-house repipe takes longer. Ask for a written timeline before work starts.
Related
Think you have a leak?
Call AquaTrace Leak Detection to describe what you are seeing in Citrus Heights and get a plan to find it.
Call (123) 456-7890Last updated: October 25, 2026.