HOW TO DEAL WITH RAIN-RELATED PLUMBING ISSUES
Even in cities that are not known for rain, the occasional rainy period can still present a problem for homeowners. And no, we’re not talking about oversaturated vegetation, damage to your yard and/or patio and other common issues everyone already knows about — we’re talking about potential plumbing problems caused by heavy rainfalls. Here’s a quick checklist:
Increased Pipe Pressure
Regular soil is lighter than soil that has been saturated with water. This added weight can create extra pressure on any pipes or drains buried within the soil. If the pipes are old, they’re more likely to break, especially on a particularly rainy day. This type of physical damage can lead to various plumbing issues. We’ve listed some below.
Shifts in Underground Plumbing
Wet soil tends to loosen and can become pliable, often encouraging plumbing fixtures and underground pipes to shift. These shifts can then snowball into bigger issues, such as hidden leaks, loosened joints, and irrigation system complications. In the worst-case scenario, the pipes will burst completely and likely flood your entire yard.
Increased Number of Backups
Shifting soil can also be the main reason that it’s found in the pipes and often allowing other debris to follow. If enough debris gets inside your pipes, then clogs will form and eventually lead to backups. Without quick action, these backups will grow and lead to additional issues such as broken joints, burst pipes, and so on.
Preventing Rain-Related Plumbing Issues
The best way to avoid the above issues is to take maintenance seriously. Regular preventative maintenance on your plumbing will keep it in ideal working condition, and the additional stress caused by heavy rainfalls won’t harm it. For example, backups are far more common if your drains and pipes are already dealing with waste build-up.
Heavy rainfall puts more pressure on your pipes. Already burdened plumbing will cause any smaller problems to worsen. And suddenly, your slow-moving drains turn into a burst pipe with immovable water.
For this reason, drain cleaning and maintenance is essential to catching leaks and protecting your home and plumbing from destructive weather. To deal with weather-related plumbing problems (backups or frozen pipes) you’ll need to contact a licensed plumber ASAP.