As we are cruelly reminded about by mother nature on an all-too-regular basis, flooding can be just as devastating and tragic as floods in our great country. Images of Brisbane, Queensland and elsewhere’s destructive and even deadly flood waters are beaming all over the world, leaving us all wondering ‘What could we do better?’ Without a doubt, one of the most obvious answers is stormwater maintenance at home. Are you up to date with it?
Once your stormwater flows into the community system, it’s no longer your responsibility. But from the moment those drops hit your property’s roof, it’s all on you to make sure your stormwater management system is able to cope as best it can with the sort of incredible storm events that are becoming ever more commonplace.
Fundamentally, you want your home’s stormwater setup to efficiently control the flow of water away from your home and internal features such as ceilings, walls and floors, but also to prevent seepage into your very foundations.
Where to start? With those gutters, downpipes and your landscaping. If not properly maintained, you could have a soggy, damaging and even unsafe situation on your hands:
- Watch out for dampness & standing water
- Watch out for foundation/slab water erosion
- Prevent gutter/downpipe blockages & spill-over that can lead to erosion and rotting of nearby house structures.
Luckily, gutter maintenance is simple. Give them a good clean-out at least twice a year, ensure the tilt towards the gutters is correct, caulk any leaks, check for low or sagging areas, and double-check those elbows & bends to stave off clogging.
The other area to pay close attention to is the stormwater drain itself, which is unfortunately extremely prone to becoming clogged with debris after the sort of rain events we’re seeing recently. Once a blockage in the stormwater drain happens, and the skies open in anger the next time, you’re in for a lot of trouble.
Here’s what we suggest for preventing blocked drains at your place:
1. Annual clean
The best cure is prevention. Get a drain expert at your place at least once a year for a preventative drain inspection and clean-out, including with sophisticated and powerful equipment like ultra high-pressure water jetters which are even effective against tree roots.
2. Use plumbers
Yes, the regulations demand it, but you’d be surprised how many people try to lay their own pipes. What may save you a few dollars today could cause you a massive headache down the line, because even a slightly misaligned pipe can throw the whole system out of whack. Your local plumber may also offer you expert advice including recommendations to install gutter guards.
3. Watch for the signs
Before your stormwater drain becomes hopelessly blocked, there should hopefully be some warning signs. It will be things like gushing water, flooding grates, standing water and odd gurgling sounds. Remember, action based on a smaller symptom today could prevent an absolute disaster tomorrow.
4. Watch your landscaping
Landscaping plays a big role in your stormwater system as a whole, but also for the stormwater drain specifically. For instance, tree root incursions in pipes can cause the biggest problems, so simply thinking twice before planting something new is the sort of foresight that will stand you in good stead for the future.
Call Brisbane’s drain masters for stormwater maintenance help
Want to just put it all in the hands of Brisbane’s Drain Masters? Whether it’s blocked drain cleaning, gutter repairs, 24/7 emergencies and much more, you don’t become one of the region’s biggest names in drainage & plumbing without dealing effectively with every single situation we face – including incredible rainfall events and the consequences. To talk to a friendly member of our team about stormwater maintenance and drainage solutions, call Drain Masters Plumbing today.
