Ordinarily, a rainy day in American Fork makes for a great day to relax inside and curl up with a good book. However, if those rainy days turn into rainy weeks, you could begin to experience some problems. Specifically, if your plumbing pipes already have underlying issues, excessive rain could cause significant plumbing problems that will need to be addressed by Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing. It’s important to understand these potential problems so that you don’t get caught off-guard during a major rain event.
Shifting Drain Pipes
Since your drain pipes are buried underground, they’re constantly exposed to the changing characteristics of the soil. If excessive rain falls, it can soften the soil to the point that the soil can no longer hold the pipes in place. In some cases, even a small shift could cause older pipes to crack or break under the stress. To help prevent this, it’s a good idea to have your drain pipes inspected every few years by a professional from Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing.
Sewage Backup
Although sewage pipes can handle a lot of water, they do have their limits. If a sudden, large rainstorm comes along or it rains heavily for several days, the sewer pipes that service your house could become overwhelmed. If this condition persists, you could have a sewage backup in your home. To help prevent this problem, you can install a backwater check valve in your sewage line. You can also install trap plugs that prevent large pieces of waste from entering your residence during a sewage backup.
Flooded Yard
A flooded yard might not seem to be a plumbing problem. However, a flooded yard is indicative of one that isn’t draining properly. This can cause serious problems if the water sits in your yard for a long time, especially if the water sits up against your home’s foundation. At Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing, we recommend that you have your yard inspected and renovated to install drains in low points so that the water has a place to go. These drains can be connected to the main drain line for your house, allowing for significant drainage capacity.
Full Drain Lines
If your gutters are routed to your property’s main drain line, you could experience full drains during long periods of heavy rain. To help prevent this problem, try to reduce the amount of water you use for normal activities during the heaviest rainfall. It’s also important to make sure that your drains are free from debris so that they can drain the full amount of water that they’re designed to. Specifically, make sure that you don’t pour fats of any kind down your drains since these can cause problems further down the line.
Broken Sump Pump
For homes with basements, a sump pump is an essential piece of equipment to help prevent constant flooding. During heavy rain, though, even the best sump pumps may not be able to keep up. To help keep your basement dry, the pros at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing recommend that you check the cistern where the sump pump is located to make sure it’s free from any blockages. You may also want to consider plugging your sump pump into a backup power supply so that it can continue to pump water even if your power is interrupted due to the rain.
Prevention Is Key
As with most home issues, prevention is your best tool to guard against major emergencies. Keeping drains clear so that water can flow effectively, removing leaves from your gutters so that they don’t overflow, and having your drains inspected by Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing at the appropriate intervals are all great ways to help prevent problems during heavy rain.
If you’re looking at a new house, it’s important to check specific areas to make sure the residence will be safe during major precipitation events. For example, it’s a good idea to drive by potential homes when it’s raining to see if the yards of those houses drain effectively. If you start with a weatherproof home, it will make it much easier to adapt when exceptional weather events occur.
Trust the Plumbing Pros
At Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing in American Fork, we’re proud of the ways that we’re able to serve this community. Our plumbing services, including water heater installation, drain cleaning, leak repair, and more, can help to keep your house dry and comfortable no matter the weather. We can also repair, maintain, and install HVAC equipment so that your home is always the perfect temperature. For over 110 years, Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing has been serving this area with integrity. To learn more about how to keep your home safe during heavy rain, contact us at Gunthers Heating, Cooling, and Plumbing today.
