How Earthquakes Can Damage Your Plumbing System

Here in Burbank, plumbing companies have to deal with more than just leaky pipes and clogged drains. We’re living in earthquake country, and temblors are a regular occurrence throughout the year. Even minor quakes can shake up your property, and when it comes to plumbing, the damage can be much worse: breaches, leaks and even destroyed pipes in need of full-bore replacement.

Here’s A Quick Breakdown on How Earthquakes Can Damage Your Plumbing System

The big issue arises with the main water and sewer lines connecting your home to Burbank’s civic system. These are usually located underground, where they can’t be seen by the naked eye. Earthquake damage could cause a breach immediately, and it could also shift the ground around the pipe: avoiding an instant rupture but increasing stress at certain points along the line. That means a breach can occur days or even weeks after the quake, even though things look peaceful initially. Monitor your yard closely in the period immediately following an earthquake, and look for signs such as strange puddles of water, dripping sounds, or grass and shrubbery suddenly becoming much greener than the surrounding flora.

Inside the home, the damage is usually easier to detect. Beyond the obvious signs of a leak or a breach (i.e., water leaking out across you bathroom floor), listen for signs of leaking or dripping in your walls and pay careful attention to the water pressure in your various faucets. A good catch-all test is to check your meter, then wait two hours without using any of the water in your home. Then check the meter again. If the amount has changed, then you probably have a leak somewhere in the home.

The plumbers at My Drain Company fix all kinds of plumbing problems, and we know how earthquakes can damage your plumbing system. More importantly, our trained staff has the skills to repair the problem once it’s been detected, and can replace damaged pipes with speed and efficiency. If you detect any plumbing damage to your property after an earthquake, pick up the phone and schedule your plumbing services in Burbank with us. You’ll be glad you did!

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