Plumbing problems are particularly frustrating for most homeowners. Not only can they interrupt the source of a basic necessity, as well as damage your home, but they are also tough to detect. Most of your piping runs behind the walls and underground. It is all too common that homeowners only notice something is wrong when there is already major damage.
The good news is that plumbing problems with your underground pipes are one type of wear and tear that can be covered by insurance. Make sure you have buried utility coverage, also known as service line coverage, as soon as possible. That being said, you may still lose out financially for damages done to your possessions.
Still, the ideal scenario is that you recognize the problem before it’s too late. There are certain signs that your underground pipes are damaged that you may have noticed.
1. Slow Draining
Most homeowners who notice slow draining in a sink or toilet assume that there is a clog of some sort. They use powder or fluid to try to get rid of the clog and hope that the problem goes away. Unfortunately, while slow draining may be due to a clog, it is often due to damaged sewer pipes.
If you are having this problem and you’ve tried unclogging your drains to no avail, you should have your pipes checked. The sooner you do so, the less it will cost to fix.
2. Sewer Gas Odor
Is there a smell in your home that you can’t find the source of? Maybe it is strongest in the kitchen, and so you’ve assumed that some food has gone off. If nothing turns up, it may be coming from your drains. This is especially likely if it has a gaseous smell.
Sewers are supposed to be airtight everywhere but at the highest ventilation point on the roof. If you can smell it, chances are that your pipes have cracks. See to this problem before the cracks get bigger and lead to even worse problems.
3. Sagging Ground
This is one of the surest signs that your underground pipes are in trouble. If your ground is sagging, your pipes are likely saturating the soil, causing it to dissipate. Don’t ignore an indentation for long, as this means that the problem is already having a significant impact.
4. Lush Patches of Grass
In some cases, underground plumbing issues lead to sagging soil. In others, they cause your land to look better than ever – parts of it, at least. Sewage acts as a fertilizer by giving your grass extra nutrients. As such, if it is leaking, the areas of your garden that are affected may be doing extremely well.
It might seem like a win at first, until you realize it is limited to that spot. Check for leaks in your pipes, focusing on where the green patch starts and ends.
5. Foundation Cracks
When untreated for a long time, cracks in the pipes can lead to some major consequences. Continuous leaks cause the ground underneath your house to dissipate, and the foundations start to sink. This leads to cracks in the walls of your home, known as foundation cracks. These mysterious cracks are unfortunately likely a sign that you need to invest in a big plumbing project in the very near future.
6. Rodents
Finally, one of the worst possible signs you can get that your plumbing needs work is the presence of rodents. Rodents live in sewers. They can squeeze through cracks in the pipes, getting out into your home or garden. If you have a rat problem that is relatively new and do not understand why, your pipes may well have cracks.
The above are all signs that your underground pipes are damaged. Take these signs seriously, as they can lead to much bigger problems untreated.
