This month is known to be more on the rainy side, and maybe not the sunny picture you have in your mind of springtime, but as the old saying goes, “April showers bring May flowers.”
One thing you should keep in mind this season, though, is that flowers aren’t the only thing those April showers can bring. Heavy rains in the spring can also bring damage to your outdoor plumbing systems. How?
Well, consider that your pipes are probably made of metal which, when in contact with water for extended periods of time, can rust. If rainwater collects in your yard, it could be causing your outdoor plumbing to become corroded.
Read on to learn more about the potential damage spring showers can do to your plumbing and how plumbing inspections can help you prevent serious plumbing problems.
The Rain, The Dirt, and Your Pipes
Rain, dirt, and pipes; these three things may seem like they have absolutely nothing to do with one another, but during the rainy season, they can affect each other greatly.
When heavy rainfalls, it can saturate the dirt in the ground. Overly saturated soil can become soft, and soft soil doesn’t stay put as well as hard soil does. What do we mean by that? Well, think of the phenomenon of a landslide.
When it rains excessively, it loosens the earth on a mountainside, causing it to shift and come cascading down the mountain. On a smaller scale, the same sort of thing can happen to the earth under your home and around your pipes.
After continuously heavy rains, the earth around your pipes can shift, which can cause your pipes to collapse, potentially leading to a slab leak. Broken pipes can cost you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars if you don’t address the problem quickly.
The Rain and Your Sewer System
Another threat that spring showers pose to your home has to do with your sewer system. You see, there’s only so much water that can be contained in your pipes. So what happens when it rains so incessantly that your outdoor drains become filled with rainwater? The sewer pipes cannot contain so much water, so the contents of the pipes begin to flow backward, back into your home, potentially causing a flood of unsanitary raw sewage in your house.
The Rain and Preventing Issues with Plumbing Inspections
One way that you can prevent issues like collapsed pipes and backed-up sewer systems is to maintain your plumbing systems, which includes having your pipes inspected on a regular basis.
Annual plumbing inspections ensure that your pipes are in good condition, or help your plumber identify any issues like cracks or major clogs that could cause serious damage.
Having your plumbing inspected before the rainy season could help you spot and repair these issues before they are made worse by spring showers. Have you ever had a plumbing problem that involved the heavy spring rain?
We want to hear all about it! Leave a comment below to share your spring shower story, and remember to call Flow Pro Plumbing at (925) 450-6669 for all your spring plumbing needs in Brentwood, CA.
