As a homeowner, it’s easy to take your plumbing for granted. After all, we’re constantly relying on the plumbing systems in our homes, whether we’re washing the dishes or using a hose to water the grass. Using our showers, faucets, and other fixtures becomes second nature — just like our electrical and HVAC systems.
However, it’s crucial to be aware that extreme temperatures and heavy rain can affect plumbing in unexpected ways. Fixing these problems will usually require assistance from a professional plumber.
Below, let’s discuss how unpredictable weather can cause plumbing issues for homeowners.
How Extreme Temperatures Can Impact Your Pipes
Extreme weather can be a pain to deal with. Aside from the hassle that goes into keeping your home comfortable, you also have to worry about potential plumbing problems occurring due to excessively hot or cold weather.
Find out which plumbing issues you can encounter when outdoor temperatures rise or dip significantly:
How Heavy Rains Can Affect Plumbing Systems
Heavy rainfall can ruin a perfectly good day when it’s unexpected. Unfortunately, it can also take a toll on your sump pump, sewage, and drainage systems. In fact, you may find yourself needing to schedule emergency drain services with a professional plumber if the problem is severe.
Damaged Pipes
If you’re wondering how unpredictable weather can cause plumbing issues, you may want to turn your attention to your pipes. On any typical day, pipes are meant to transport water and carry waste from our homes. However, when heavy rains occur, excess pressure can build up inside the pipes and cause them to burst. If debris, such as twigs and dirt, gets into your sewer lines, this can also lead to clogged drains.
When it doesn’t stop raining, the ground can also get highly saturated with water. Unfortunately, this saturation can cause your pipes to shift, which can result in significant wear and tear. You may need to have the broken pipes repaired or replaced.
Sewage Backups
As we mentioned, heavy rain can affect plumbing systems by clogging the sewer lines. When waste can no longer travel through your sewer lines, this can lead to sewage backing up in your home’s drains.
Although this is certainly one of the most unsanitary plumbing issues a homeowner can experience, it’s also worth noting that clogged sewer lines can also be identified by foul sewage odors and a soggy yard. So if you notice any of these signs, don’t hesitate to call a professional plumber for help.
Overloaded Sump Pumps
When discussing how unpredictable weather can cause plumbing issues, we have to mention sump pumps.
If you have a basement, then there’s a good chance you also have a sump pump. Sump pumps have very important jobs in that they’re responsible for pumping water out of your basement to prevent flooding. Once the water level in your sump pump’s basin reaches a certain level, the system turns on and expels the water from your home via a discharge pipe.
Unfortunately, when rainfall is much heavier than usual, your sump pump might not be able to keep up with the influx of water. As a result, this unpredictable weather can cause your sump pump to overheat or fail.
Saturated Drainfield
Every home is different. This means that heavy rain can affect plumbing systems in different ways. Take septic systems, for example. If your home uses a septic system, it’s essential to know that flash floods can cause your drain field to become oversaturated. When the drain field becomes flooded, your septic system won’t be able to work like it’s supposed to. Additionally, the septic tank may overflow.
If you’re experiencing heavy rains and you’re afraid it will affect your plumbing system — namely, your septic tank — there are a few steps you can take to avoid disaster. For example, you’ll want to consider using your septic system as little as possible. Garbage disposals and dishwashers can contribute to wastewater, so you should stop using them until the drain field is no longer flooded.
Have a Plumbing Emergency? Call Arlinghaus!
As you can see, heavy rain can affect plumbing systems in unexpected ways. The exact same can be said of extreme temperatures during the hottest and coldest months of the year. Now that you know how unpredictable weather can cause plumbing issues, don’t hesitate to call the experts at Arlinghaus Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.
We offer a wide range of plumbing services. Our professional team specializes in everything from water heaters to drain cleaning. So when you notice the rain causing plumbing issues in your home, you can trust us to have you covered. We provide solutions for clogged drains, low water pressure, and much more. Contact us today to learn more about our emergency drain and plumbing services!