The Flooding Dangers of Pipe Damage
Spring is here and so is the excessive rainfall that comes with it. The Earth needs the rainwater every Spring to help everything turn green again. Without this time of year, it would also be a lot harder to grow crops for fresh produce. That said, excessive rainwater isn’t the best thing for a home’s plumbing system. In fact, you may end up with some flooding in your home if there is too much rain at once. Excessive amounts of rainwater add a lot of pressure to plumbing systems that they aren’t used to having.
There are different things you can do in preparation for April showers that will help reduce your risk of flooding. You can also prepare your home in the event that you do flood, like keeping furniture off the floor in areas that are prone to flooding. Continue reading to learn more about the effects rainwater has on plumbing systems in the Spring.
Heavy Rains Are Harsh on Pipes
It is important to stay informed of how much psi of water is coming in. your home shouldn’t exceed more than 60 psi. Any more than this and you will start to see some flooding in the home due to burst pipes.
If this is the case, you should call a plumber to come out and install a pressure reducing valve to help keep the water pressure at a safe level during heavy rainfall.
Damage in Your Underground Piping System?
There are a few different precautions you can take this Spring to help save your piping system. Regardless, there is bound to be excessive rainfall this season and if you don’t take the necessary precautions, you could be left with cracked or burst pipes.
Excessive rainwater can compromise your piping system in the following ways:
The soil in your yard could become saturated with rainwater. The soil holds all that water and gets really heavy. This added weight surrounding your pipes could cause them to crack or break.
The rainwater can also cause twigs, leaves, mud, and trash to flow into the drains and clog the pipes
Luckily, in most cases, the plumber can fix your pipe or pipes. However, in severe cases, they will need to dig a hole as an access point. If the problem isn’t taken care of right away or if you have an old piping system, you may need to have an entirely new system installed. If you get your plumbing maintenance done regularly, it could save you from these more severe problems.
Excessive Rainfall Can Cause a Foundation Shift
Then when the water dries out, the pressure is released. At any point during this time, it can cause your foundation to shift. In return, you could see flooding coming in through your walls and floors. It could also cause some strain on your piping system underneath your home. Any cracks in your foundation or in the piping under your home will cause your home to flood.
Keep your pipes and your home safe this rainy season by scheduling a maintenance visit with your local plumbing professionals. They can give you further information on how to keep the rain out of your house!
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Can Help You
You can trust the professionals at Benjamin Franklin Plumbing to arrive on time and get the job done right! They care about providing quality plumbing services in Northfield, MN and work hard to keep your homes in safe working conditions.