Contrary to widespread belief, rain is not harmless. While a light drizzle won’t wreak havoc on your home’s exterior or interior, thunderstorms can seriously damage your property. Heavy rains can ruin your foundation, flood floors, and ruin landscaping. Not to mention, there are some severe ways heavy rains can affect your home’s plumbing system. Be mindful of these issues the next time it rains heavily in your area, then check to see the impact it made on your home.
Blocked/Overflowing Drains
A major issue from heavy rain is that it can block your drains and cause water to overflow. Heavy rain will collect debris which can clog pipes. Sediment and waste can flow from these storms into your pipes which block water flow. Once this happens, you’ll see that you cannot access water from faucets or drains like normal. Sharp objects can even puncture piping and cause further ruptures or blocking issues.
Shifted Pipes
Similarly, heavy rains can shift your pipes, which causes further issues. Excess weight or pressure put on the pipes will bend, break, or rupture them. This can seriously ruin your plumbing systems if you’re not cautious. This is especially true when it rains after a drought or dry period, like in the Yuba City summers. During this time, the ground hardens. Following a dry period, intense rain in October and November can cause the ground to erode. Your underground pipes then feel immense pressure from the shifted grounds, which leads to breakage or misalignment. Not to mention, if you have galvanized steel pipes, they can discolor the water, lower the water pressure, and add harmful contaminants to the water system if they break or rupture.
No matter the cause, be sure to contact us at Fletcher’s Plumbing and Contracting for your home plumbing needs. As certified residential plumbing contractors, we provide professional, dedicated service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It doesn’t matter the age or size of your home; we service any plumbing issue, whether it’s an emergency or not. Give us a call and we’re happy to consult with you on the best plumbing service for your home.