Residential sewer pipes are usually buried about a foot and a half in the ground. Though normal winter and summer temperatures and precipitation shouldn’t trouble them much, extreme weather conditions can. Here are some things that might happen to sewer pipes during droughts, floods and in times of unstable heat and cold.
How Drought Affects a Sewer Line
A drought occurs when the area you live in doesn’t get as much rain as it usually does for at least a few days. A long drought can make the soil dry up and contract. This can set up voids around your sewer line. Since these voids can’t support the pipe, it’s more liable to crack or even collapse. Drought can also cause metal sewer pipes to rust or corrode, which further weakens them. Since your plumbing will still be active during a drought, trees and shrubs that are desperate for water and nutrients will step up their efforts to infiltrate your sewer line with feeder roots. These roots can get so dense that they cause blockages and cracks in the pipe. In some situations, the pipe can burst.
How a Flood Affects a Sewer Line
An incessant heavy rainstorm or a hurricane can lead to the sort of flooding that can damage your sewer line. Floods can cause the water pressure in the pipe to increase, which can cause it to crack or even explode. Soil that is saturated with rain shifts. This can skew your sewer line and cause it to break. The water from the flood can enter the sewer line and even back up into your house.
How Temperature Fluctuations Impact Your Sewer Line
The temperature of the soil 18 inches down is usually stable throughout the year. But sudden fluctuations in temperature can still affect your pipe. Heat can cause it to expand, even slightly, while great cold causes it to contract. After a period of rapid expansion and contraction, your sewer line may suffer damage. Places with harsh winters such as this region also experience a freeze-thaw cycle. This is when water freezes then thaws out. Water is strange because it expands when it freezes, and the freeze-thaw cycle in a pipe can stress it so much that it leads to cracks. The risk of this is even greater if the pipe wasn’t installed correctly.
Sewer lines are challenging to keep an eye on because you can’t easily see or access them. Signs that something might be wrong include permanent puddles in your yard, clogs in all the drains in your house, bad smells or gurgling sounds from your drains. If your sewer or drain needs service, call our professionals at The Plumber AZ of Mesa, AZ.
