Rainy season plumbing problems to look out for
After a long, if odd, winter, spring has finally returned, and with it, rain to begin blanketing the soil with new life, and everything else with a significant amount of water. As always, regular, heavy rainfall brings with it a series of challenges for homeowners that left alone, could cause serious damage faster than preferred. Unfortunately, the rain doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon, so keep these signs of plumbing problems in mind to look out for as the rains sweep back through.
Broken Pipes
Though it may not feel like it above ground, below ground, there are spots where there is still thawing taking place, as the soil adapts to the warmer-than-freezing temperatures. This creates spots where water cannot be absorbed into the ground. As such, water will find places to pull and increase pressure on those areas as they become more saturated, and some of the most likely places are around underground pipes, as these areas tend to be less likely to freeze with the continuously running water rushing through them. 
When major rains roll through, the groundwater increases pressure around the pipes, leading to cracks or breakages. The first signs of a cracked or broken pipe will manifest as water pressure drop-offs in your home, along with grit or debris in the water coming through the taps. If these become noticeable, it’s immediately time to call up a plumber for an emergency inspection and repair.
Drain Blockages and Foul Odors
If pools of water are becoming noticeable in sinks or bathtubs, or a particularly foul odor is suddenly present during and immediately after a rainfall, it is likely that the outdoor sewer drains have become clogged with debris. As rains fall, any organic debris on the ground — dirt, tree limbs, leaves, etc. — gets swept up and can easily overload the drains, leading to blockages in the sewer line connected to your home. Once this line becomes blocked, water can back up in the pipes, leading to both the overflows and overpowering smell. It’s possible to try to alleviate these blockages with a plunger — placing the plunger over the affected drain, and plunging until the water releases back down the drain — but if this isn’t working, a professional is definitely needed to inspect and clear the offending blockage.
Basement Flooding
The worst possible scenario is the potential for a flooded basement during a rainstorm. This can happen either from water pooling around the foundation of the home — because the ground is oversaturated — increasing pressure until it finds a path of the least resistance into the basement itself, due to clogged and backed-up drains redirecting water into the basement, or even a clogged drain causing a pipe to burst in the basement. For most issues of oversaturation and too much water around the home, a sump pump will be able to alleviate the excess moisture, pumping the extra water further out to drain much farther away from the home. However, once water is discovered pooling on the ground, it’s time to call in the expert technicians to diagnose the problem and apply a solution.
Overall, the best defense for rainwater issues is regular maintenance and inspections. By bringing in professionals early on to see the space, they will be able to identify any problem areas and suggest fixes early on to keep homeowners aware and provide peace of mind. If it has been some time since your last inspection, or if an inspection is being done for the first time, reach out to the licensed professionals at Duane Blanton Family Home Services. With over 30 years of professional knowledge and expertise, the technicians at Duane Blanton can provide tips, tricks, and fixes for every potential plumbing issue. Give the plumbing experts at Duane Blanton Family Home Services a call today, at (815) 781-2567, or schedule with them online through their convenient online scheduling portal.
