Under-Slab Drain Repair in New Braunfels, TX

When drain lines fail beneath a concrete slab, homeowners face a critical decision: how do you fix what you can't see without destroying the floor above it? For this New Braunfels, TX home, Rapid Plumbing used tunneling — a proven method that accesses underground pipes without breaking up the slab — to repair two broken drain lines and restore the plumbing system to full working order.

The Problem: Two Failed Drain Lines

The home had two separate drain failures that needed to be addressed. One break was on the building drain line servicing the hallway bathtub, and the other was on the island kitchen drain. Both lines ran beneath the concrete slab, making them inaccessible without digging.

Rather than cutting through the finished floors inside the home, our team created access from below.

The Work: 35 Linear Feet of Tunneling

We created two access holes and tunneled a total of 35 linear feet beneath the slab to reach both problem areas. Tunneling allows our crew to work directly on the pipe without disturbing the interior of the home — no tile, no flooring, no drywall comes down.

Once we had access to the damaged sections, repairs were made using schedule 40 PVC pipe and shielded couplings rated specifically for underground use. These materials are built to handle soil conditions and ground movement, making them the right choice for below-slab applications where long-term durability matters.

Testing Before Closing

After the repairs were complete, we didn't just backfill and call it done. We performed a hydrostatic pressure test on the entire drain system to confirm there were no remaining leaks or weak points anywhere in the line. The system passed.

Only after inspection approval did we backfill with native soil and restore the tunnel access points. Every step of the process — from tunneling to testing to backfill — was completed by our team.

Why Tunneling Is Often the Better Option

Breaking a concrete slab is expensive, messy, and disruptive. Tunneling beneath it accomplishes the same goal with significantly less impact on the home. For homeowners dealing with under-slab drain failures, tunneling is frequently the most cost-effective and least invasive path to a lasting repair — especially when the damage is spread across multiple locations, as it was here.

Rapid Plumbing has extensive experience with tunneling, underground building drain line repairs, and hydrostatic testing throughout the San Antonio, TX and New Braunfels, TX areas.

Call us today if you're dealing with slow drains, unexplained odors, or suspected drain line damage beneath your slab. (210) 449-9209