April Showers can Damage Your Pipes this Spring

Spring is finally here! Goodbye freezing weather, short days, and slushy snow. Hello budding leaves, melting snow, and rain.

While spring brings with it the excitement of warming weather and newness, it also brings hazards like heavy rains and flooding. 

Here are some ways your pipes can be affected by adverse springtime weather.

Water Can Erode Soil Where Pipe is Buried

Heavy rain can create rushing water that becomes a powerful force. This force can erode the soil around buried pipes, exposing them to damage. This is particularly concerning for the pipes coming to your house from the city’s system. 

Make sure you know where your pipes are buried and take extra care during and after flooding to avoid those areas. Once the waters have subsided, do a thorough check to make sure your buried pipe is still buried. If soil has been eroded, inspect pipes for damage or have a professional inspect it. 

Pipes Can Burst

Flooding brings debris as well as lots of water. This debris can easily gather in storm and drain pipes, causing it to back up. If the pressure is high enough from the water draining, this can lead to bursting.

You can minimize the risk of burst pipes by keeping your yard clean so there’s less debris to back up your drainage system pipes. 

Pipes Can Corrode Faster

Depending on the material of the pipe, exposure to flood waters and any changes in water chemistry can cause it to rust faster. This most often happens over a number of seasons of flooding and heavy rains. Inspect any visible piping for signs of rust, particularly if you have old cast iron piping in your home. Copper also corrodes and gets pinhole leaks so you still have to inspect those pipes as well. 

Dirt and Debris can Erode Pipes Internally

Erosion is another way pipes can be damaged. Floodwaters carry sediment that destroys the internal wall of drainpipes. While you can’t inspect the inside of pipes, you can call in a professional if you’re concerned that you might be at risk for damaged piping from dirt and sediment erosion. 

If you ‘d like to read any of our other posts to learn more about plumbing and piping, click HERE.

Prevention and cure

Before the rain come, let us inspect your home’s piping to make sure it can withstand the coming April showers. When the floodwaters subside, we can help you find and repair any damage you may have incurred. We’ll keep your piping in shape for many more years of spring. Give us a call at (877) 552-2326 or  Schedule A Service!