Get Ready for These Common Springtime Plumbing Issues

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Common Plumbing Issues Brought On By Spring Showers

Many homeowners breathe a sigh of relief once the last frost of winter has passed. As everyone knows, winter temperatures can cause pipes to freeze and burst. But many homeowners don’t realize until it’s too late that spring brings its own plumbing issues. The heavy spring rains can cause problems for a home’s plumbing system in several different ways.
From poor draining leading to overly saturated soil to slab leaks to broken pipes, homeowners should prepare for spring plumbing maintenance just as they do in the wintertime.

Overly Saturated Soil

Everyone knows that spring is a time of heavy showers. Thunderstorms roll in on the wind from nowhere, drenching yards in rainfall. All that water has to go somewhere, and many homes aren’t properly set up to deal with it. When the water doesn’t have anywhere to go, it sinks into the soil around the house, causing it to become saturated.

When this happens, it can cause all kinds of problems with the home’s plumbing. Although it may not be apparent at first, when the soil on which the house’s foundation rests becomes saturated, the foundation can shift in the ground. Unfortunately, sometimes the plumbing doesn’t shift with the home, which means even a few inches of movement can cause expensive problems.

Slab and Foundation Leaks<

Another common issue, often caused by overly saturated soil, is a foundation leak. Sometimes known as a slab leak, these are exactly what they sound like: a leak in or around the home’s foundation. Since every home has pipes coming into it from the city water supply, the shifting of the soil or the house can cause cracks in these pipes. Slab leaks are often identified by wet spots in the concrete walls or the concrete floor of the basement. Other signs include the presence of mildew and a sudden increase in the water bill. Fixing slab leaks is often an expensive process where plumbers break through the concrete to repair the pipes. Other options include pipelining and rerouting the pipes entirely. As a general rule, slab leaks are best addressed as soon as possible. The longer they’re allowed to leak, the more damage they can do.

Broken Pipes

The last thing for homeowners to look out for during the spring is broken pipes. Although a slab leak can be caused by a cracked or broken pipe, the pipes outside of the home can also become damaged and leak into the soil around the home.
While too much water pressure inside a pipe can cause a break, too much pressure outside the pipe can have the same result. When the soil becomes saturated, it also increases the weight of that soil, which increases the pressure on the pipes. This is why it’s crucial to have a home’s plumbing system inspected to ensure the pipes are in good condition and that they aren’t susceptible to cracking due to spring showers.

About Locklear Plumbing

Locklear Plumbing has been serving Calhoun, GA, happily for over 15 years. Their prompt and courteous technicians arrive on time and ready to work. They offer flat-rate pricing from licensed and insured technicians. Contact them today to learn more about slab leak repair service.