When natural disasters like hurricanes or floods strike, your home may be left with extensive damage and a broken plumbing system.
These unexpected events can wreak havoc on your plumbing, leaving you with no choice but to repair the pipes and restore functionality to your home.
Here are some tips for repairing your plumbing system after a hurricane or flood.
1. Clogged Drains
Drain clogs are one of the most common causes of plumbing problems after a flood.
Clogs can occur in pipes and sewer lines and can be caused by tree roots, debris, or even small animals.
When flooding occurs, the water may not be able to flow through your drains. This can make the water in your pipes stagnant, causing clogs.
To fix a clogged drain, you must clear the blockage. A plunger or a hand snake will push out light debris, and you may have to repeat it several times before the line runs clear.
If that does not work, call a plumber. Our drain cleaning crews clear storm debris with water jetting rather than chemicals, which is safer for pipes that just took on floodwater. If sewage is backing up into a tub or shower, that is a sewer backup, and a saturated yard can also point to a drain field problem.
2. Dirty and Damaged Fixtures
After a major flood, you may find that your fixtures and appliances are damaged.
Floodwater can damage plumbing fixtures, causing them to leak and need replacement. To protect your pipes and prevent leaks, clean any damaged parts as soon as it is safe to do so.
Because the damage to your plumbing system after a flood is unpredictable and varies from one area to the next, take the time to clean and repair damaged fixtures before you put the system back into service. That often means faucet repair, toilet repair, or replacing a water heater that sat in standing water. A submerged tank should be inspected rather than simply restarted, and our water heater repair team can tell you which way to go.
3. Broken Pipes in the Home
Broken pipes are a common problem after a hurricane.
If you have a broken pipe in your home, water will keep flowing out of the break and into the rest of the house, damaging everything it reaches.
The best way to stop a broken pipe is to turn off the water at the main shut-off valve in your home.
If you do not have a main shut-off valve in your home, you should contact the utility company to turn off the water.
After turning off the water, call a plumber to repair the broken pipe. Our emergency plumbers are on call around the clock, and leak detection finds breaks hidden behind walls or under a slab. When storm-battered lines keep failing, repiping is usually cheaper than repairing them one break at a time.
4. Foundation Damage
Hurricanes and floods can cause severe damage to the foundation of your home.
If you have a foundation issue, consult a structural engineer to determine the best course of action. Shifting foundations break pipes, and broken pipes leak more water back into the foundation, which makes the original problem worse. A slab leak is often the first sign.
Plumbing is a complicated system prone to damage in various ways. In the event of a flood, you will need to repair your plumbing system before you can safely use your home again.
Do Not Forget the Water Damage
Repairing the pipes is only part of the recovery. Anything the floodwater touched has to be dried and repaired, or you will be dealing with mold in a matter of days. True Plumbers & AC handles water mitigation to dry the structure, water damage restoration to repair it, and full flood restoration after a storm. Our guide to what to do if your home floods covers the first few hours, and understanding clear, gray, and black floodwater tells you how hazardous yours is. Structural rebuilds and remodeling go to our sister company, True Builders.
You can rely on the plumbers in Lakeland at True Plumbers & AC
Whether the above methods have failed or you are hesitant to take on the repairs yourself, our team is ready to help. Get in touch with our professional plumbers by calling (863) 667-6364 or requesting service online. We offer our comprehensive plumbing services to Central Florida homes located in and around Lakeland, Plant City, and Winter Haven, FL.
