How Can Your Local Plumber Help You Deal With Basement Flooding? | Irving, TX
Texas is home to some large water bodies. Because of its distinct topography, water can be found just several feet below the surface. With the average annual precipitation in Irving, TX at over 38″, surface runoffs and other weather conditions can wreak havoc on your drainage systems. Even though basements are rare if you’re one of the few with one, here are some things to know!
According to a report released in the first quarter of 2021, burst pipes were a major cause of water leaks. These are some reasons why enlisting a professional plumber is a wise idea. One of the worst nightmares you can ever find yourself dealing with is a flooded basement. Besides damaging your belongings, you might also lose your keepsakes or memorabilia stored in the basement or even lose your home theater!
Preventive measures and routine maintenance appointments with a local plumbing service can help you detect any plumbing issues before they turn into a full-blown emergency.
What Should You Do In Case Your Basement Floods?
With a flooded basement, your well-being and safety are of utmost importance. Therefore, the first thing to do is shut the power in your basement. This is vital in preventing electrocution. Ensure you don’t touch any switches or buttons that may have been in contact with water. Sometimes the switch may be too far, and you can’t access it or the power source. If that is the case, stay off the basement and immediately contact an emergency plumber for help.
Additionally, close the main water valve at your home to control any damage that the floods at your home might cause. The plumbing expert will diagnose where the flooding originated and what might have caused it; it could be a sewage leak or a burst pipe. Regardless, shutting off the water supply at the main shutoff valve helps prevent further damage. Contact our plumbers at Tioga Plumbing & Electric in case of flooding at your Irving, TX home and leave the professionals to drain and clean the basement to ensure it is safe. They will also test the electrical components and can even help you replace the damaged ones.
How Can Your Local Plumbing Service Help With Dealing With Flooding Inside Your Basement?
Finding What Caused the Flooding
Is your home’s basement flooding prone? If it is, you must find out what is causing the flooding. The most common issue causing flooding in many homes is leakages in the plumbing system. Hence, there could be a leaky water tank, water heater, or a burst pipe.
A clogged sewer line or backed-up septic tank might also cause flooding. It is, however, worth noting that although floods are or can be catastrophic, those caused by backed-up sewer lines or toilets carry more danger. They bring in germs and bacteria that can affect your home’s hygiene and are a danger to your health and that of your loved ones or family. Since you don’t have the proper protective gear, you could be exposed to these microorganisms that might make you sick.
Therefore, it would serve you best to call an experienced and well-equipped plumber to address the sewage problem by inspecting the plumbing system for what causes it in the first place. Other reasons that may cause flooding in your basement are cracks in the foundation, extreme downpour, or a poorly designed drainage system. A plumbing professional will address the issue and resolve it for good.
Provide Emergency Services
If you cannot access the basement because it is flooded, bringing your local plumbing service that offers emergency services in your locality is probably the best strategy. They have the necessary equipment and expertise to handle your situation.
The plumbers will start by draining all the water from the basement using a sump pump. However, if you don’t have a sump pump at your home, they will manually drain the water in your basement. If the sump pump has malfunctioned, they can repair it to ensure the issue doesn’t re-occur.
After clearing all the water out, the basement is dried using industrial fans and dehumidifiers. This ensures that mold and mildew don’t grow in your basement. The plumbers might also spray the basement to kill the germs and bacteria that thrive in water.
Inspecting Your Drainage Pipes
During the rainy season, drainage pipes experience a lot of wear and tear or damage. The incessant rainfall might result in sludge, leave, debris, or even twigs lodged inside the pipes. If the pipes aren’t cleaned, the materials can accumulate and block the water flow. This makes the water pressure build-up and could make the pipes burst or develop cracks and leaks.
A blocked or clogged drainage pipe can cause more harm in cold weather. The water and debris within the pipes could freeze and expand, resulting in cracks and ultimately making the pipes burst. Ensure you enlist the help of professional plumbers like those at Tioga Plumbing & Electric to inspect your drains, especially during winters and periods of heavy rains. This will help you avoid flooded basements.
Installing The Sump Pump And Ensuring That It’s Functioning Properly
Sump pumps are machines that direct water from your flooded basement to the outside. A sump refers to s hole below the ground level of your basement that holds the pump. The function of the pump is sensing when the levels of water rise. When it does, the pump directs the excess water off the basement into a designated drainage point outside.
A preventative measure in place is always better than reacting when the basement has already flooded. Hence, installing a sump pump at your home is a wise idea, especially if your home is flooding prone. The local plumbing service can help you install the sump pump and test it to function efficiently. You can also create a maintenance plan where their plumber will be visiting your home for regular inspection to ensure that the sump pump is in its optimal health and serving your basement/home as it should.
Reputable Plumbers In Irving, TX
We store our valuables in the basement. Hence, ensuring that it remains free from things that might damage our precious collectibles is paramount. Although avoidable, basement flooding is bound to happen at one point, especially if you live in a flood-prone area. Hence, you need to be prepared for when the floods come.
Hiring a plumber to install a sump pump seems like a good start. These machines sense and drive any floods off your basement, ensuring that your valuable and sentimental belongings are safe. They also offer several other services to ensure that you have a safe basement. Call us at Tioga Plumbing & Electric if your basement is flooded or for routing inspection of your drains and sump pump.
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