Storm Prep & Recovery: Essential Plumbing Repairs to Keep Your Home Safe

There is so much to prepare for and implement before, during, and after a hurricane. This preparation should include any potential plumbing repairs resulting from the storm. The first and most important consideration is safety:

• Determining whether to leave or shelter in place,
• Ensuring that the family has the supplies needed for a power outage of various lengths
• Protect your home from damage from the high winds and heavy rain
• Clean up and recover from any damage experienced

Hurricane Safety 101: Protecting Your Pipes and Scheduling Vital Plumbing Repairs

Much of the damage from a hurricane will be evident, but be patient and observant, since some damage may be more subtle. This is especially true of hurricane damage to a home’s plumbing system. Since most of the plumbing system is enclosed behind walls, plumbing damage can be hard to detect, so here is a short list of problems that might develop due to hurricane damage.

1. Assume All Flood Water to Be Contaminated. Not only may it source from nearby swamps and slow-moving creeks, but consider that the sanitary sewer system often overflows during flooding. Flood water that comes onto your property or that enters your home is extremely hazardous and will also promote mold and mildew inside your home. Make sure to follow cleaning protocols inside and outside.

Flooding can also impact drinking water whenever water overwhelms wellheads or community water sources. Contaminated water usually gives off an unpleasant taste and odor and may be discolored. Water is wonderfully cleansing, so the contamination is usually temporary. Be sure to follow environmental instructions that might include boil orders and testing. Be patient and stay safe.

1. Flooding Affects Sewer Lines as Well. A temporary problem arises when the sanitary sewer lines are overwhelmed by floodwater. The water recedes rather quickly, but pay attention to news reports for complete information.

The flood water can also deposit debris and sediment into the sewer mains, slowing wastewater drainage. The water and deposits are affecting the entire system, but what you will notice is slow drains and toilets that refuse to flush. During this time, avoid excessive water use/wastewater production. Laundry can wait. In emergency situations, do not flush items, including toilet paper, as this may contribute to blockages. There is a helpful adage, “if it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.” That may sound corny, but it can avoid toilet overflows in your home.

If slow drains persist, call Doctor Cool Plumbing for an assessment of your drainage system.

1. Severe Flooding Can Cause Movement. When standing water covers the ground covering buried pipes, it can cause soil movement underground. That may bring pipes in contact with sharp rocks, or the movement can torque the lines and create breaks.

Standing water can also shift a foundation. This will cause structural problems aplenty, but it can shear lines at the point where they exit the home.

A broken supply line is under pressure. The water pressure inside the home will be very low or nonexistent. The rapidly leaking water will erode the soil around it and become very evident. A broken sewer line is more subtle and will become evident over a period. The source of the sewer leak will be wetter than the rest of the lawn, and the water will smell terrible.

Let Doctor Cool Help You Spot the Signs Your Home Needs Plumbing Repairs

Don’t wait for severe weather to expose hidden vulnerabilities in your home’s pipes. Shield your property from costly storm damage by scheduling your preventive plumbing repairs appointment before hurricane season officially begins. Call Doctor Cool today at (281) 516-8043  to ensure your drainage, sewer lines, and foundation connections are strong enough to weather any storm.