Storm season is coming, and your plumbing will face the onslaught of floods plus the aftermath of severe weather. If the system fails, it will be with dire consequences for your home and family, warns SGI Dallas Management team. Is your plumbing able to hold out against the impact of severe weather?
Severe weather events are a fact of life; you cannot stop them from happening or determine how and when they occur. But you have a say in how these events affect your home and plumbing. Proper preparation is your best safeguard against severe weather events.
How do you prepare your plumbing for extreme events like hurricanes and flooding? The strategies outlined below will help you build a robust and almost fail-safe defense against severe weather events in your area.
Effective strategies to prepare your plumbing for extreme weather
Pre-storm plumbing inspection
Don’t wait until a storm is imminent before you start getting ready. Begin this process as soon as the storm season approaches. As a first step, you want to check your plumbing for leaks, corrosion, wear and tear, loose/faulty connections, and problems that can compromise the system. Pay close attention to joints, connectors, and valves. Address issues at once.
Prepare the landscape
In windy conditions and heavy rainstorms, tree branches and nearby shrubs pose a threat to outdoor plumbing fixtures. To minimize this risk, have an expert remove or trim the branches. If there are loose items in your yard that can become projectiles in strong winds- chairs, tables, or garden décor – remove them.
Secure and clean outdoor fixtures
Secure outdoor hoses and sprinkler systems. A loose garden hose can whip around in strong winds and damage your home. Anchor your gutters and downspouts to keep them fixed even in hurricane-force winds. Remember to clear debris from gutters and storm drains to prevent clogging. To stop debris from blocking your gutters, install gutter guards.
Seal openings to weatherproof the house
Seal all openings in walls, flooring, and foundation. Gaps around the entry points for pipes and electrical wires can let water into your home. To make sure strong winds don’t force water into these openings, they should be sealed with sealant or caulk. Any part of the home where there is a risk of water seepage should be sealed.
Prevent flood damage to appliances
To protect them from water damage appliances should be elevated above potential flood levels. Appliances that need this most are water heaters and HVAC systems. Moving heavy appliances is not the easiest task, but doing this step can save you from spending thousands of dollars to replace damaged appliances.
Install a backflow prevention device
The risk of backflow contamination increases with severe storms and flooding. Backflow occurs when water inside a water pipe flows in the opposite direction, often contaminating the water supply. Changes in water pressure, a common problem during storms, can cause backflow. Installing a backflow prevention device will protect your water supply from this risk.
Inspect your sump pump and add a backup
Test your sump pump to make sure it is working. Clean the sump pump, sump basin, and drainage pipe to get rid of debris that can interfere with the function of the float switch and other components. If you don’t have a battery-powered backup sump pump, this is the right time to get one. If your sump pump fails because of a power outage, the backup system will protect your home.
Inspect your sewer lines
A lot of water will enter your sewer system during heavy storms. If the line is blocked or clogged with debris, it cannot handle the excess flow. This can lead to sewer backups and toilet overflows inside your home. To avoid this problem, inspect the sewer system for cracks, leaks, clogs, and blockages. Before the storms arrive, have the sewer line cleaned professionally.
Create an emergency plumbing readiness plan
What will you do if a plumbing emergency happens in your home during severe weather? You should not only know the location of your water shut-off valve, but all members of your family should have this information and know how to use the valve. Label all the critical plumbing features in your home clearly. Keep essential tools within easy reach. This is just a tip of what should be in your emergency plumbing readiness plan.
Talk to an expert
A professional plumber will understand the vulnerabilities in your plumbing system better than you can. They will identify potential sources of trouble that you may overlook. They can introduce you to new tech and advanced strategies that will help you create a holistic plan that is unique to the needs of your home. By having access to an emergency plumber can make all the difference during bad weather.
Lastly, ensure you involve a trustworthy local plumber in this entire process from start to finish. You do not want to start looking for a good plumber a few days before a storm breaks. By that time, all the good ones will be too busy. The right time to talk to a plumber is now.