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Four Ways to Tell if Your Drainage Systems Were Damaged After a Heavy Rain

Maryland has been hit with several major rainstorms this summer. Besides scaring us to death and knocking out the power, these storms have also caused millions of dollars in water damage. 

Additionally, Hurricane Isaias brought trees down, road closures, and flooding. *** Water has damaged thousands of homes in Maryland and on the East Coast. 

Your home may be experiencing the effects of the storms and hurricane, too. Here are four ways to tell if your drainage systems were damaged:

  1. Pipes bursting and cracking: It’s not hard to tell if your pipes are bursting or cracking as you will notice it when you turn on the faucet. Your water will be dark. The water will taste awful-like copper. Typically, rainwater pools up in the pipes and causes them to break. So, the freshwater will have soil, soot, and other bacteria in it. 
  2. Flooding: Heavy rains like the ones we have had, cause water to accumulate in the yard. The water has nowhere to go if there isn’t any proper drainage, so it begins to flood your basement, driveway, sidewalk, or porch. This severe water damage then causes these spaces around your home to be weakened. Before it causes any more damage, the correct drainage should be installed.
  3. Sewage backup: One of the grossest results of a deluge or two of rain is what it does to your sewer line. The heavy rain builds up debris in the outdoor drains which clog the pipes. If the sewer line that runs to your home is blocked, the wastewater accumulates in the clogged drains. Eventually, the pipes may burst or crack sending all of it into your home or onto the ground.
  4. Indoor drains blocked or clogged: Water pools in your shower, bathtub, sink, or other drains. This is caused by the heavy rains bringing in debris like soil, trash, branches, leaves, sticks, and even bugs. All of this junk clogs up your drainage systems which back up the entire drainage. 

These storms can wreak serious damage to your home drainage systems. If you see any of these signs, call your experienced home foundation repair contractor to get it fixed. When the next heavy rain hits, and it will, you will be ready. The longer you delay, the more these clogs and cracks to your pipes will cause damage. Usually, a home foundation contractor can assess the damage and repair the drainage systems fairly quickly.     


** See reports of Maryland rain and hurricane damage here.