Florida’s Rainy Season Can Lead to Plumbing Problems

Hurricane season lasts from May until November, with June being the second rainiest month in Florida. These heavy rains can cause significant damage to your home and plumbing system.  The last thing you want is gray water backing up into your home’s toilets and showers.  Thankfully, there are some things you can do to prepare your plumbing system beforehand and some things to look for after heavy rains have hit in order to assess damage. 

Simple tips to prepare your plumbing for the rainy season:

• Check to ensure your foundation is sealed.  Make sure all service lines, including water, gas or electric, that pass through your foundation wall are sealed.
• Ensure caps or plugs on your sewer trap are sealed tight.  If they look old or ill-fitting, replace them immediately. This will keep wastewater from entering your home.
• Inspect roof gutters and downspouts.  You want to make sure rainwater is driven away from your home’s foundation.

Problems areas to be aware of after severe weather:

• Ruptured pipes: This can occur when the ground has shifted, causing pressure on pipes that are located underground. If you have ruptured pipes, a sinkhole may develop or you may notice standing water in your yard.  Michael’s Plumbing can help assess and fix this issue.
• Blocked pipes: The clearest sign that you have blocked pipes is slow running drains. Blocked pipes can be the result of debris running into the drainpipes or running off the rooftop. This goes back to ensuring your drains and gutters are clean and free of debris.  Another cause for blocked pipes can be root infiltration. If roots get into your pipes, we can help clear out the sewer line or dig up the tree roots.  In severe cases, a new sewer line may be needed due to the heavy damage caused by tree roots. 

Staying ahead of plumbing issues is always your best bet, unfortunately, some plumbing issues caused by severe weather are unavoidable.  If you experience blocked or ruptured pipes, it’s best to call the expert plumbers here at Michael’s Plumbing for professional help!

Back to Blog