Spring flood waters arrive every year like clockwork, yet many homeowners find that they’re still surprised at the far-reaching effects on their plumbing system. The right insurance coverage can help protect you from water damage, but you can do a lot to prevent flooding in the first place.
If you need some guidance on how heavy rainfall this spring could impact your drainage system or plumbing, here’s what you need to know:
Heavy Rainfall Puts Pressure on Plumbing Lines
Think about how much weight gets added to your clothes when you spend a day out in the rain. The same is true of the weight of the dirt that absorbs all of that water falling from the sky. For most homeowners, their water lines are buried outside, and the weight of all this wet soil can pose problems for their main water line.
The heavy rain can lead to burst pipes or even just shifts in the connections as the dirt around the pipe moves and falls. This can lead to even more excess water, flooding, and more.
If you notice an inordinate amount of water outside that’s not in keeping with the amount of rainfall, you might have a burst pipe that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. You may also notice a cracked pipe if your water bill is unreasonably high in the month following a spring rain.
Sewer Backup
Is there anything that could be less favourable than sewer backup in your home? When heavy rains come, even city sewers can become backed up just as a private septic system can. If the city sewer can no longer handle the influx of water, you might see it back up into the drains of your home.
Fortunately, this is one problem that can be avoided. For those who want to protect their home and opt for sewer backup coverage, you can have a plumber install a backwater valve to keep this sewer water out.
Flooded Basement
One area that you might have a problem with is the flooding of your basement floor. Basement flooding often occurs when sump pumps fail to keep water away from the foundation walls of the lower levels of your home. Spring flooding in the absence of a working sump pump spells major problems for your insurance company.
If you rely on your sump pump to handle everything from melting snow to spring floods, then you need to protect your home by having it inspected annually. This will lead to fewer basement floods and fewer insurance claims.
Get Support This Rainy Season
If you think you could benefit from an inspection to keep spring flooding out of your home and keep your basement dry, Clean Line is here to help. We’re the local Winnipeg plumbers who know what your area requires to stay clean and dry. Give us a call today to learn how we can help you with your plumbing dilemmas following a heavy rain!
