Learn How A Blocked Outdoor Drain Can Cause Water Damages

3/8/2021 (Permalink)

Keep your drain clear to avoid water damages!

A blocked drain can lead to water intrusion.

A network of pipes makes up a typical home plumbing system. These pipes then link out to the city sewage system or your septic tank. Many water faucets in your home, including those in the kitchen and bathroom, send wastewater to the main house sewage line.

Outdoor drains work similarly to the drains in your home. Driveway drains, area drains, roof drains, and other types of drains are examples. These outside drains, like all water fixtures, are prone to clogging. Dirt, leaves, and heavy rainstorms tend to block outside drains, causing a disastrous situation when they back up.

How a blocked outdoor drain can cause indoor water damage

Clogged outdoor drains often lead to water damage. A blockage may take some time to build up and become fully evident, but once a problem has begun to take its toll, it'll become noticeable quickly.  

Weak drainage is the most visible effect of a clogged drain. When a drain is clogged, water has a harder time passing through it, resulting in slower draining than usual. 

When clogs block the pipes, the water that is trapped must find a way. In most cases, a leak in your pipes is always the result. Diverted water flowing through leaks will destroy your pipes as well as leak into your home. 

3 Common reasons for clogged outdoor drain:

1. Foreign material stuck in the pipeline. 
2. Debris brought in my heavy storms/rainfall.
3. Broken pipes.

Stairwell drainage issues

The outside stairs leading to the basement can result in flood damage after heavy rain occurs. The small drain at the bottom of the stairs cannot handle massive amounts of pressure; the higher the pressure, the more likely water will seep into the basement from under the door. If this is a recurring issue, a good idea will be to build an awning over your stairs to divert water away from the stairway and avoid future water damages.

How to clear out a clogged outdoor drain

Outdoor drains are often clogged after heavy storms. Heavy rainstorms bring dense mud and silt blockages and larger debris like leaves & tree limbs to easily find their way into the outside drain and create a barrier to the flow.

3 Ways to clear out a clogged drain

1. A drainage snake is an essential tool. These products are mostly made of steel joints and are long, lightweight, and flexible. They allow you to break through a blockage in your drain, allowing you to reach deep within the external structures.
2. Remove all the blockage you can reach with your hand
3. Apply water pressure and flush out the blockage.

When to contact water damage professionals?

If the key issues are yard topography and soil permeability, you will need to hire experts to redesign the whole lawn or garden. It's also beneficial if you have a map or diagram that displays where pipeline links are located. 

Since most outside drain plumbing is shallow, it's always a good idea to choose the finest drain pipe material accessible. When identifying the clogged area is challenging, you'll need a skilled plumber who can use devices like a sewer inspection camera. 

When you have water damage, call SERVPRO of North Fulton. Our team is fully equipped with state-of-the-art tools and IICRC certified professionals who have qualified experience in restoring water damage. We want your everyday life to be normal again after you have suffered water damages.

Contact us today for 24/7 emergency services!