Gurgling toilets, flooding and downright foul smells – what do all three of these have in common?
No, it’s not just the fact that each one is extremely unpleasant – each one is also a common symptom of problems with your stormwater drains!
We know what you’re thinking: aren’t stormwater drains the council’s job?
You’d be correct – problems with your storm drains themselves are a council responsibility.
But your connection to the stormwater drain on the other hand? That’s on you!
An introduction to stormwater drains
The drains in your kitchen and bathroom aren’t the only parts of your home drainage system. Your home also has a separate drainage system for getting rid of rainwater.
As an experiment, find the nearest downpipe in your home. Notice how there’s a drain at the very end? That’s your stormwater drain connection!
Another place you can find them is in your driveway. Many driveways feature stormwater pits that run the length of your driveway. Any groundwater on your driveway are funneled into this pit.
Both of these drains are connected via pipes to the stormwater drain on the kerb.
Once it’s reached the street drain, any problems aren’t your responsibility. But if problems arise in the connection before you reach street level, then you might have to call your Eltham plumber!
The dangers of stormwater
Blocked stormwater drains are more than just a pain – they’re also a leading cause of structural damage in your home!
Without functioning stormwater drains, the next time it rains you might witness flooding around your home. Your house might even receive its very own miniature moat or swamp around it.
Over time, this water build-up seeps into the ground underneath your home.
This can effectively drown the plants in your front garden, and can even weaken your foundations, leading to:
- Cracking
- Sagging floors
- Your house leaning over
Yikes!
Just like your in-house drains, your stormwater connection can be blocked. Stormwater often carries with it debris like leaves, as well as dirt. Most receive water from your gutters and downpipes too, increasing the changes of a blockage.
What causes stormwater blockages?
In our experience, the majority of blocked stormwater connections are similar to the types of blockages you’ll experience inside your home.
But not all of them have the same cause!
On top of the usual suspects, stormwater connections have several unique problems to deal with:
- Tree roots
- Leaves
- Dirt and mud
Signs of blocked stormwater drains
Unless it’s raining, it’s going to be hard to notice that your stormwater drains aren’t doing their jobs properly.
Not to mention, very few people pay attention to their stormwater drain connection to begin with.
As a result, problems are easy to miss.
Do you suffer from any of these tell-tale signs, you’ll need to act immediately and call your Eltham plumber ASAP to fix your stormwater drains.
Rotten smell
A lot of the stuff that ends up blocking stormwater connections are leaves, dirt and debris.
These types of blockages tend to decay, rot and go mouldy over time, giving off that signature smell.
If you walk past your stormwater drain connection and pick up on a nasty smell, take that as a sign of a potential blockage.
Slow stormwater drains and flooding
Do you notice that the drain underneath your downspouts are taking a while to drain following a heavy downpour?
Or has the area around your stormwater drain connection turned into a mini lake?
Either of these cases are dead giveaways of a clog or blockage in your stormwater drain connection.
Gurgling shower, sink, and toilets
An often-overlooked symptom of a partial blockage is a gurgling sound.
As water struggles to get past a blockage, bubbles flow out to the nearest available vent.
The distinctive gurgling you hear is the sound of bubbles trying to find their way out.
Solutions to stormwater blockages
Stormwater blockages are usually determined after a heavy storm and rain.
If you see visible signs and is aware of the major causes why such clog happens, then it is best to never delay and engage a local plumber to act immediately on the clog before things get worse!
Apply homemade solutions
Unlike blockages inside your homes, most blockages in stormwater drain connections are a lot tougher.
Instead of dealing with tissues and grease, you might have to contend with:
- Leaves
- Tree roots
- Mud
Home solutions like boiling water and baking powder and vinegar are much less effective here.
Use augers
Picture a drill bit attached to the end of a long, flexible piece of tubing and you have a drain auger.
Your Eltham plumber uses augers to remove deep-seated blockages and clogs. These work by fitting down long sections of pipe, physically removing blockages and clogs.
Most drain snakes you’ll find at Bunnings are designed for toilet blockages and other clogs inside your house. They generally aren’t long enough to work on your storm drain connections.
If your blockage is relatively close to the access point however, an auger might just do the trick.
Get immediate help from your Eltham plumber
Suspect a stormwater drain blockage? If so, a call to your local Eltham plumber might be in order.
Removing deep-seated blockages isn’t always easy. You won’t be able to do it on your own in many cases.
H2-Pro Plumbing has the specialised tools and know-how to remove blockages in your storm drain. Using high-resolution drain cameras, we identify the source of your blockage.
Once we know exactly what’s causing your blockage, we get to work using appropriate plumbing procedures. In cases of dirt, mud and leaves we might clear it out with long, electric drain augers.
And in cases of breakages or tree roots, we dig up and repair or replace the affected stretch of piping.
Our plumbers don’t just work in Eltham either – our team service the entirety of north-east Melbourne 24-hours a day, 365 days a year (including weekends and public holidays!)
Contact our team today on 9844 1444 or book online now to see how we can resolve your stormwater issues and blockages for good.
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