How To Avoid A Stormwater Blockage During La Nina

Your Stormwater Drain and La Nina

La Nina is a climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean. When the Equatorial Trade Winds develop in strength this in turn impacts the ocean's surface currents. As the currents draw cooler, deeper water closer to the surface... La Nina builds.

What does this mean for Sydney's residents? La Nina equals increased rainfall and cloudiness. With the rising air and cloud development across Australia, there are less extreme heat temperatures but more rainy weather.

The east coast of Australia may be able to bypass the major effects of La Nina during the colder months but as temperatures rise during the warmer seasons like Spring/Summer, La Nina can cause severe flooding. Of the 18 recorded La Nina events here in Australia, 12 of those have resulted in some type of flooding.

Enter your trustworthy plumber. Our ultimate goal is for optimal plumbing maintenance, this includes your external plumbing system. Your stormwater drains, gutters, stormwater pits, and downpipes. Your stormwater system is designed to help draw excess water away from your property. Having an efficient stormwater service does rely on regular checks to ensure you are not caught off guard and left with an overflow of rainfall, potentially placing you at risk of water damage.

With the predicted increase in rainfall for the east coast of Australia, it's time to assess the functioning of your stormwater service. Dealing with a blocked drain, mid-storm... isn't desirable. Aiming to remove any potential drain blockages as soon as possible will minimise La Nina's effect on your stormwater drains.

What Causes A Blocked Stormwater Drain?

A blocked stormwater drain may be caused by a build-up of leaves, dirt, or debris in your gutters or pits. Your external plumbing service will do its best to clear the leaves and debris that make their way into your pipe, however allowing this self-care to occur is playing Russian Roulette. Usually, once there is a build-up, this will only grow. Hoping that self-care is the best way, is not a reliable solution and is likely to cause havoc by creating a clogged pipe, increasing the amount of repairs needed to your service.

The age of your pipe could be a contributing factor to the risk of a blocked drain. Sydney has some of the oldest plumbing services in the country. Not all plumbing services were installed correctly or have the strength of the latest plumbing technology. Some may have experienced movement in the ground since it was first installed. All of these factors may impact the functioning of your pipes, leading to a clogged situation.

All pipes laid in the ground are at risk of tree roots entering your service. Whether it's a sewer pipe or stormwater drain... tree roots are attracted to the condensation often found around your pipes. Network Plumbing has the capability to fix those pipes suffering from tree roots, it's called pipe relining. It's a permanent solution to those blocked drains, once and for all, and one we would highly recommend, right here in Sydney.

How Will A Plumber Unblock My Blocked Stormwater Drain?

Great question! Our licensed plumber has the ability to determine the extent of your drainage issue. A thorough inspection of your Sydney drainage service with our CCTV drain camera is the fastest way to determine the extent of your blockage.

If the blockage is just a matter of a build-up of leaves, sticks, dirt, or debris... a high-pressure water jet may be utilised after the inspection is completed. Solutions like drain cleaning stormwater pipes are an efficient fix. The high-pressure water jet is powerful, delivering a quality job.

Some blocked drains may call for a complete replacement. Your pipe may have collapsed. With no integrity left in that section of the service, a replacement is your only fix. If this is the case, our local plumber will walk you through the suggested solutions, ensuring our customers understand our assessment, is how we carry out repairs.

If it's determined that your stormwater pipes are blocked due to tree roots, our highly trained plumbers can provide you with a no-dig, pipe relining solution. Unfortunately, pipe relining may not be the solution for all blocked drains.

Call our team on 9023 3232 to speak to our Sydney plumbers to see if the no-dig solution is an option for your drain, blocked or clogged.

Preventing A Blocked Stormwater Drain

Preventing an exterior blockage can be as simple as following a regular maintenance schedule. At the turn of the season, a quick once-over of your exterior service is advisable. Clear out those gutter guards, sweep away those leaves, pick up all those sticks. If you notice that your pipes, gutters, or pits are in need of attention, call Network. Our reliable team is ready 24 hours a day.

Regular maintenance is important. But don't forget to pay attention to the signs of a blocked drain when they present themselves. The perfect time to assess your external water flow is when it's raining. Be observant of how your service handles the rain, checking after a major downpour, or watching for signs of a blocked drain a couple of days after a storm. If you do notice issues, call Network as soon as possible. Being proactive and resolving plumbing problems before a small worry becomes a big worry is how we like to assist our customers.

With La Nina upon us, Network Plumbing is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your plumbing needs. Pay close attention to your external water flow and call Network on 9023 3232 if you are in need of quality solutions with a reliable plumber.