Although water is considered the most destructive force on the planet, it’s essential to the survival of the environment and every living thing in it.
The continuous flow of water is responsible for everything from creating rivers and lakes to carving out entire valleys.
On a smaller scale, if left unchecked in your home, water can damage your foundation and lead to other structural challenges.
As a homeowner, you’ve probably experienced a drain problem at some point. Such issues can affect the look and surroundings of your home.
This article discusses all you need to know about drainage problems.
Read on to discover the causes of poor drainage, its effects, common drain problems, and how to solve them.
Contents
Causes of Drain Problems
Drain problems affect the normal water flow in your home, leading to the accumulation of stagnant water and blockage.
It’s crucial to determine what could be causing them as soon as possible.
If ignored, the issue can escalate to become a nightmare, forcing you to incur unnecessary repair costs or, even worse, abandon your home.
Some of the causes of drain problems include the following:
Tree Roots
Roots may penetrate pipework, negatively impacting water flow.
If you’re unable to spot them early enough, they may lead to pipe fracturing and leaks, which would likely increase your water bills.
Debris
This mainly affects bathroom drainage due to the amount of hair and substances that can accumulate in shower or tub drains.
Of course, you may also experience drain issues in your kitchen due to bits of food and grease if you’re not using the right filters.
Human Activities
Activities such as construction may affect the drainage network.
The pipes may be destroyed in the process, preventing water from flowing and resulting in leakage or blockage.
Before you begin such activities, it’s important to consider the pipework in the work area. Ensure that you get the approval of the necessary local authorities before commencing.
Common Drain Problems and How to Solve Them
As a homeowner, you may experience various issues with any of the drains on your property.
While you can resolve some of them on your own, more complicated ones may require a professional plumber in order to be addressed properly. These are the most common drain problems you’ll encounter:
1. Blocked Gutters and Downspouts
Many property owners clean their gutters only when the autumn season has passed. However, you have to check on that particular part of your home more than once each year. This is because things like dirt, leaves, and twigs may accumulate there, obstructing the flow of water.
During a downpour, you might notice water spilling over the gutters rather than going to the downspout.
In such cases, clean out your gutters right away to remove any debris present. Besides cleaning, you can install gutter guards to prevent the accumulation of objects in the first place.
Sometimes, you may see debris and other types of dirt on the exterior walls of your house or puddles beneath the downspout.
This is an indication that the downspout isn’t directing water away from the house. Some of it may find its way to the foundation, leading to cracks and other related issues.
In those situations, it’s best to call an experienced professional to redesign your downspout to improve its function.
The expert can rectify the problem by regrading the slope to allow water to move away from your home.
But in some cases, you may have no choice but to hire someone to lay underground drainage pipes for the same purpose.
2. Wet Basement
A wet basement can be a source of irritation. Apart from damaging your furniture and drywall, dampness in the area encourages parasite growth.
Downpour or groundwater could be causing this problem. Factors such as clogged gutters could allow some rainwater to find its way to the basement.
You can quickly fix this by sealing the walls and any cracks you find. If you don’t have the necessary tools, you’ll have to ask a professional plumber to do it for you. Another way to address this issue is by cleaning your gutters.
3. Recurring Clogs
These are common in bathtub, shower, and bathroom drains. In most cases, hair and certain products like bath salts and bath bombs that get washed down the drains increase the chances of clogging.
If you find yourself having to clean hair out of your drains frequently, you’re likely not addressing the root cause of the problem.
You can fix this drain problem by turning to a reputable drain cleaning company to eliminate clogs deep in the pipe, allowing wastewater to flow freely.
4. Clogged Toilet
This drain problem can be horrible if ignored. You’ll have to deal with the bad odor and overflowing solid waste, which would make your home practically inhabitable.
A clogged toilet may be a symptom of a direr situation: septic system damage. The other major causes of clogged toilets are debris and low water pressure.
The good news is that you may be able to resolve this issue using a plunger to unclog the drain system.
But if that doesn’t work, you’ll be forced to call in an expert, especially when you’re experiencing water or sewage backing up in several locations in your home.
The plumber will utilize several tools to determine the extent of the damage and provide the appropriate solution. To prevent further issues, consider installing a no clog toilet.
Effects of Drain Issues
The following are just some of the many possible effects of poor drainage in your home:
Structural Damage
The presence of water in your foundation may weaken the integrity and structure of your property.
In rare cases, poor drainage may lead to flooding, damaging your floors and walls. That may force you to shell out a lot of money to repair.
Lower Home Value
Water may accelerate the growth of mold and harmful parasites in your home.
This will lower the overall value of the property since no one would want to purchase a mold-infested house.
Effect on Health
Poor drainage will create an ideal habitat for the growth of disease-causing bacteria and pests.
You won’t only have to get rid of them but also pay for medical bills if any if you or any of your family members gets sick.
Foul Smell
Malfunctioning drains will affect water flow, leading to water accumulation in your piping system.
Stagnant water will form a perfect environment for bacteria, which would produce unpleasant odors later on.
Bottom Line
Common drain problems range from leaky pipes and fixtures to recurring clogs.
What causes them most often are root intrusion, human activities, and debris accumulation.
It’s a must to solve this kind of issue the moment you become aware of it since it may affect your health as well as the value and structural integrity of your home.
