Take Precautions: How Rain Can Affect Your Plumbing

If you’re wondering whether heavy rain can affect your plumbing, we have both a short and long answer: yes and no. If your draining systems, gutters, house grade are all in check then no matter how hard the rain is, your home will be safe.

However, if you have clogged drains or gutters, that’s a different story. An abundance of water from the roof can cause major problems. Not to worry, we’ll go through what you need to look for before the rains begin.

What Heavy Rain Can Do

Gutters: We’re sure you hear this every fall that it’s time to clean the gutters. It’s true! Gutters are responsible for catching heavy rainfall and channeling it away from your home in a proper fashion. When leaves and debris get stuck, water can sit and cause water damage to your roof and the interior of your home (like mold and mildew).

Basement: Whether you have a living space in your basement or use it for storage, it’s important to check walls for any cracks. When it rains heavily, water saturates the soil which in turn causes pressure. This allows the water to seep through the cracks of the home’s foundation. The chances of your basement flooding greatly increase if your foundation is compromised.

Downspout Drain: Sometimes downspouts are connected to underground pipes that drain to the street or sewer line (as seen below), or they just stick out, channeling the water away from the home. When underground drains clog up, water will come up out of the downspout connection or put pressure on your pipes. If you notice greening near the drain or water pooling when it rains, it is very likely you have a clogged drain.

How to Prevent Rain Damage to Plumbing

• Schedule a drain cleaning for any drains that are clogged.
• Keep your gutters clean especially if you live near big trees. Whether that’s using your ladder, hiring a company or installing quality gutter guards, you’ll need a dedicated system.
• Check your foundation for cracks to take care of them sooner than later. Caulking might help if they’re small, but if there are many it’s best to contact a professional.
• Make sure the ground slopes away from your home, otherwise the water will roll towards it.
• Trees and bushes have complex root systems, which causes them to soak up plenty of rainwater. Planting these near your home helps absorb and slow down the water that otherwise would be heading straight towards your home once it hits land.

Your Local Plumber

As always, Simpson Plumbing is here to help. Contact us if you need your basement to be sump pumped, if you need drain cleaning, or for any other plumbing services. As full-service professional plumbers, we work with both residential and commercial customers and can handle most plumbing issues you’re dealing with.

From connecting waste lines to municipal sewer systems to fixing pipes bursting from freezing temps to an overall scope of your plumbing system, Simpson Plumbing has the tools, the experience, and the crews to get your home back in order.