When it comes to homeownership, proper drainage and sewer maintenance might not be one of the most glamorous aspects to consider, but they’re undeniably crucial. Under your home runs a network of pipes and systems that ensure wastewater is directed away from your home. It’s imperative to keep water where it belongs to prevent damage to your home and property. Neglecting these components can lead to many issues, including the following that we regularly see when servicing compromised drainage and sewage systems.
Structural Damage to Homes
Structural damage can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare because of how difficult and costly it can be to repair. This is why it’s crucial to ensure that water in and around your home is properly drained away. Clogged or broken drains can lead to damage by causing water to build up in areas where you may not notice it until it’s too late.
When water seeps into crevices and other hidden areas of your home, it can weaken the house’s foundation and lead to cracks in the walls. However, with regular checkups and maintenance, it’s normally easy to prevent these types of issues.
Mold Growth and Health Issues
In unseen areas of your home, excess moisture created by drainage and sewage issues can allow mold to take root and thrive. This can then not only cause further damage and foul odors throughout your home but can also lead to health issues for you, your family, or any guests that you have over.
Mold throughout a home can cause a wide range of issues, from allergic reactions to more serious respiratory disorders. Sometimes, you may not notice there’s mold until it’s become a widespread problem and surfaces in more open areas of the home.
Waterlogged Soil and Structures
Improper drainage can also lead to issues around and under a home, such as soil erosion and a yard that’s become waterlogged. This leads to brown, unevenly growing, or dead grass and an unsightly appearance for the neighbors to see. Soil that’s become waterlogged can also cause stability issues by affecting the foundation of a home.
Fungus is a common issue with waterlogging as well, as it breeds in these types of environments and can cause yellowing leaves and eventually the death of plants in gardens. Water pooling around structures, such as patios and outdoor walkways, can cause damage to wood, concrete, and stone. The result is costly repairs.
Backups and Basement Floods
Sewer lines can be thought of as highways that lead wastewater away from your home. If you have a basement, malfunctioning sewer lines can cause wastewater to back up, similar to a traffic jam. This can cause a reverse flow of wastewater that accumulates in your basement instead of being directed elsewhere.
Not only can your basement become damaged, but any possessions you have located here can be compromised as well. Structural damage and mold infestations can start to occur in your basement, affecting the overall integrity of your home.
A Reduction in Home Value
Regular maintenance of the sewage and drainage systems in your home can help protect its value, which can make it easier to sell your home if you choose to move. When having a home appraisal performed, a clogged drainage system, faulty pipes, or structural damage can all lead to significant adjustments to the final appraisal price. You may even have difficulty completing the sale.
Often times, drainage or sewage issues may not be apparent until it’s time to sell your home, at which point the appraiser or inspector may notice subtle signs of these issues, such as water leaks or small amounts of mold in an open space. This may then lead to the discovery of bigger issues behind walls or under flooring.
Damaged or Broken Pipelines
The pipelines that move water in and out of homes are normally very durable, but they’re not invincible. When your drainage and sewage systems are affected, debris can accumulate inside these pipes, which can then lead to blockages. Grease, hair, food particles, and even soap residue can all contribute to a blockage as they slowly build up within pipelines.
This can cause the pipes to slowly deteriorate, and what would otherwise be a drain cleaning service then becomes a repair service. Regular inspections of pipelines and proper maintenance can help extend the lifespan of the pipelines in your home by helping them retain their integrity.
Pest and Insect Infestations
Stagnant water in and around your home can quickly become a breeding ground for insects and other pests. Mosquitoes are well-known for their association with water, but they aren’t the only issue you might encounter. Cockroaches, flies, silverfish, centipedes, and ants can all thrive in areas where excess water is present, as they use both the water and the decaying organic material in the area to feed.
Termites are a pest that are commonly feared by most homeowners due to the damage they can cause to homes. Termites get their energy from cellulose, which is found in wood, and damp wood is more attractive to certain termite species because it provides moisture that helps them digest cellulose more easily.
Compromised Air Quality
The last thing you need in your home is a foul smell emanating from every room. This is the nightmare scenario that many homeowners find themselves in due to improper sewage system maintenance. The odor is often caused by sewer gases, which can leak into a home when things aren’t functioning correctly.
Damaged pipes, caused by blockages, are a major cause of sewage gas leaks, and in addition to the bad smells they produce, these gases can cause health issues when inhaled in large quantities. Respiratory problems, nausea, flu-like symptoms, neurological effects, and long-term health issues can all be caused by sewage gas leaks in a home.
Issues With Insurance Claims
You may also encounter problems with your insurance if you start to have drainage-related issues with your home. When filing insurance claims, insurers often view properties with these types of problems as being at higher risk for water-related incidents, which might lead to claim denials or coverage limitations.
Even if you receive approval for a claim, it’s common for insurance companies to raise the premiums being charged after a claim related to drainage or sewage issues is processed. Also, many insurance companies have exclusions when it comes to issues that arise from neglect and improper maintenance. This can leave you with not only out-of-pocket costs for repairs to pipelines or sewage systems but also for any structural damage to your home.
Start Protecting Your Home Today
Staying proactive with regular drainage and sewage system maintenance is crucial to protecting your Denver home’s value and the safety and health of you and your loved ones. Go ahead and reach out to us at Summit Heating & A/C today, so our experts can evaluate your drainage and sewage systems. Our services include plumbing inspections, leak detection, drain cleaning, pipe and drain repair, and sewer repair and replacement. We also offer heating and cooling services, including the repair, installation, and maintenance of furnaces and air conditioning units.
