A clogged storm drainage system can lead to serious problems and possibly damage to your yard or even your house. Water damage is incredibly expensive to remediate, and a well-cared for drainage system can prevent it from happening to your house. Considering the average annual rainfall in Durham is 48 inches, you’ll want to ensure your home’s storm drainage system always does its job.
Storm Drainage Basics
Storm drainage is the parts of the plumbing system on your property that remove excess water that can accumulate on flat surfaces, either from rain or the irrigation system (sprinklers, for example). The part of your home’s storm drainage system you’re probably most familiar with is the rain gutters. Rain from the roof runs down onto the ground and accumulates. The gutters and downspouts instead direct this water into the main drain of the storm drainage system. Other drains on your property remove the water to this larger drain that runs underground until it connect to the municipal drainage system on the street.
The Blocked and Broken Storm Drain
A storm drain can become clogged up with leaves, dirt, rocks, and other debris. This is often a problem during the fall, but it can happen any time of the year—especially after a heavy rainfall sweeps soil, gravel, and grass down the drains. Just like the drains inside your house, your storm drains need to have routine cleaning to get rid of the build-up of debris that eventually leads to clogs. You can take care of the more obvious cleaning jobs, like clearing away clumps of leaves, on your own: check around the outside drains after a rainfall. However, we recommend you have professional plumbers do regular inspections to see where you’ll need deeper cleaning to head off potential problems.
You’ll also need a professional plumber to take care of broken sewer line pipes. If water isn’t draining properly and you don’t see leaves, mud, or other debris that could be causing the trouble, there’s probably a broken pipe somewhere. Call a plumber before you get caught in the next storm.
Storm Drainage Professionals
If your property is experiencing storm draining problems, the trouble may be that the original drainage system was poorly installed so it can’t handle the amount of water trying to move through it. Storm drain installation isn’t something an amateur can do. If you suspect that you’ve got a storm drainage system that needs to be upgraded, call plumbers who can take care of putting in the new drains.
Not all plumbing contractors work with storm drainage system. For a plumber in Durham, NC who will take care of fixing storm drain problems and improving your current storm drainage, we’re the people to call.
Solve your home drainage problems by calling Bud Matthews Services—The Service Contractor of Choice in Durham, NC and the surrounding areas.
Drains are underground pipes that take water away from houses and buildings. Most homes have separate drains for rainwater and wastewater. The owner is responsible for checking their property has the right drain connections. If your property has the wrong drain connections, you could be causing water pollution. This drain collects rainwater from: Rainwater is untreated. It's also described as 'storm water'. The surface water drain takes it directly to rivers and beaches. Wastewater comes from: This drain takes the foul water to the local wastewater treatment works. Wastewater must not flow into the surface water drain. Unless your house
is on a combined drains system, it needs separate drain connections to collect wastewater and rainwater. Homeowners and landlords are responsible for checking they have separate drain connections from their home. If your property was built before 1970, you might have a combined drains system. This is a single pipe collecting your wastewater and rainwater runoff. You don't need to replace the single pipe with separate drains. Most
properties built since 1970 have separate drains for rainwater and wastewater. If wastewater from your home flows into the rainwater drain, this takes untreated water to the nearest river. This pollutes:Drain for rainwater
Drain for wastewater
Drain connections
Combined drains
Separate drains
How your home could cause pollution
- river water
- the sea
- local beaches
Your house could have the wrong drain connections because:
- you or a plumber installed a new appliance
- you renovated or extended your home
When your home was originally built, it's possible the builder or owner might have installed connections to the wrong drains.
Connecting gutters and gullies
Gutters and gullies should only collect rainwater and connect to the rainwater drain. Wastewater pipes should not be connected to the rainwater system. If the rainwater gutters and gullies are connected to the wastewater drain, rainwater could overwhelm the drain and cause flooding.
How to recognise right or wrong drain connections
The diagram shows a property with separate drain connections for wastewater and rainwater. This house has the right drain connections.
The diagram below shows a property with wastewater pipes connected to the rainwater drain. This house has the wrong drain connections.
Checking drain connections
If you’re a homeowner or landlord, check your home has the right connections for all rainwater and wastewater plumbing.
You need to connect:
- toilets
- sinks
- baths and showers
- washing machines
- dishwashers
to the wastewater drain. If your home is on a separate drains system but has the wrong drain connections, you should put them right. You could be causing water pollution in a local waterway or beach.
Installing drain connections
You should ask a plumber to check your drain connections. If they discover the wrong drain connections, ask them to install the right connections.
Drain connections in a rented property
If you rent your home and the property has the wrong connections, you aren’t responsible for installing the right connections. You should ask your landlord to install the right connections for rainwater and wastewater plumbing.
Checking drain connections before you buy a property
It is important to check a property has the right drain connections before you buy. Ask your surveyor or contractor to include drain connections in their survey report.
How to avoid blocked drains
Household waste can block drains. Don’t put cleaning liquids or cooking waste in rainwater drains or road gullies including:
- cooking fat, oil and grease
- chemicals
- paint
- detergent
- bleach
You might be able to bring some of these items to a recycling centre. Ask the local council about what they accept at their recycling centres.
Don’t put household waste down the toilet such as:
- nappies
- cotton buds
- cleaning wipes
- baby wipes
- sanitary items
- syringes
- razors
Put this waste in your household bin for landfill. If this waste is in the wastewater drain, it can block drains and cause sewers to overflow. The overflow can cause pollution and health hazards.
Drainage Misconnections Leaflet
To find out more about connecting and misconnecting your drains, and how your house could be causing pollution you can read, distribute or display the Drainage Misconnections Leaflet.
More useful links
- Septic tanks
- Water services
- Local councils in Northern Ireland
- Bag it and Bin it