In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated many parts of Texas, including Houston. Countless homes and businesses were heavily damaged or destroyed by high winds and flood waters. The cleanup and repair efforts are still underway, but a major flood-related problem that some homeowners may not realize are the damaging effects of flood waters on their plumbing.
Floods can damage or destroy plumbing in three different ways:
Moving dirt and debris into outdoor pipes
Floods cause significant erosion in a small amount of time. All the dirt and debris that gets picked up by flood waters must go somewhere, and in many cases, it ends up in exposed pipes that run through your property towards your home. Small bits of dirt and debris can cause serious clogs and even damage to your home’s plumbing system.
Saturating soil and cracking pipes
Underground industrial pipes are designed to withstand the extreme weight of several feet of soil resting on top of them. However, floods saturate soil with huge amounts of water that often takes days or even weeks to evaporate. Saturated soil is much heavier than dry soil, and over time, the additional pressure and weight can cause pipes to crack or even break.
Shifting home foundations
Pipes are fitted to and throughout homes based on their structural integrity and orientation with municipal water and sewer pipes. Fast moving flood waters and shifting, saturated soil can cause your home’s foundation to shift. If your home moves even just a few inches, it’s enough to misalign its pipes with their connections to outdoor lines, causing major damage to pipes.
How Can You Tell if Flood Waters Damaged Your Home’s Plumbing?
If your home was affected by Hurricane Harvey, your pluming may be the last thing on your mind right now. But it’s important to be on the lookout for specific signs of damage, such as:
- Bad smells indicating a clogged or broken pipe
- Low water pressure
- Discolored or foul-smelling water from your sinks and faucets
- Damp drywall indicating a broken or leaky pipe in the wall, ceiling, or floor
Don’t delay if you notice any of the symptoms listed above. The longer you wait, the more likely your plumbing will require extensive repairs. You could even put your home at risk of sustaining more water damage.
Flood-Related Plumbing Issues? Call Houston’s Choice for Plumbers.
Fixing flood-related plumbing problems right away is vital for preventing small clogs, cracks, or misalignments from getting worse and causing a plumbing disaster. At Aqueduct Plumbing Company, we can inspect your pipes and repair flood-related damage while also fixing any other plumbing issues you’ve encountered. Contact us today to set up an appointment at (281) 488-6238.
