Protect Your Foundation: 5 Signs You Need Your Storm Drains Inspected

07 Apr Protect Your Foundation: 5 Signs You Need Your Storm Drains Inspected

It only takes one inch of flood water to cost you $27,000.

Storm drains are an essential part of a property’s flood prevention system. They drain excess rainwater away from your property before it can cause a problem. But most people fail to recognize the signs that that have drain problems before it is too late.

Don’t worry, we are here to help. Watch for these signs that tell you when it’s time for a service.

1. Water Stains in Your Basement

Traces of water on your home’s foundations show that water from your yard or property has escaped. If these stains can are high up on the foundation wall, this points to a drainage problem outside your property.

The normal cause of this is poor drainage from your storm drains. If you see stains like this, clear your basement of anything valuable and schedule a storm drain inspection ASAP!

2. Standing Water in Your Yard

After long periods of rain, you’ll often see puddles on your lawn for a few hours. But if those puddles stay more than a few hours, then you could have a problem with your drains.

An easy way to check is to compare your yard with your neighbors’. If your yard stays filled up but your neighbor’s yard dries out, then you have a drainage issue.

3. Slow Drain Gutters

Over time, debris can build up in your storm drains. If it isn’t tackled, it can reduce water flow efficiency. This reduced flow can see water back up in your gutters.

This can be very damaging to your property. If it gets to the point where gutters overflow, it can rot sidings, peel paint jobs and cause structural issues.

4. Yard Sinkholes

If you can see sinkholes starting to form in your yard, it’s likely a leaking storm drain is the cause. Over time the seals around your storm drain pipes can fail. This can be due to soil settlement, or age-based deterioration.

This can then cause holes or cracks to form in underground pipes. Water can escape underground, causing the soil beneath your lawn to get waterlogged. If the leaks aren’t dealt with, more and more of your lawn will sink.

5. Household Mold

If water starts to get into your property, then mold will soon follow. Many building materials are prone to mold growth once they become waterlogged.

It may start with an odor in your basement after heavy rains, becoming persistent over time. Before long, you will have black mold growth in your basement, which if left unchecked will spread to the rest of your house.

Protect your home and health today by getting your storm drains inspected.

Signs of Drain Problems

As you can see, there are a few signs of drain problems you need to watch out for. They range from mild problems like slow drainage to more drastic issues like mold and sinkholes. If you see any of these signs, you should get your storm drains inspected before the problem gets worse.

We have been looking after Storm Drains in Long Island for over 15 years, and can provide a full inspection and maintenance service. So if you live in Suffolk or Nassau and have any of these signs, then contact us today.