How To Prepare Your Plumbing For A Storm

Don't wait until a big storm comes along to  find out that your gutters are full of leaves or that your floor drain in the basement is backing up. So, below is a list of a few quick checks and reminders of things you can do in advance to help ensure your plumbing works correctly during a storm.

Drains in a Storm 
(floor, tub/shower, sinks)

• Free flowing - pour water down the drain to make sure it doesn't drain slowly or is clogged

• Traps - again by pouring water down the drains it ensures the traps aren't dry keeping harmful sewage gases from entering your home

• Grates/Covers - make sure these are easily removed in case repair work needs to be done after the storm

Toilets in a Storm

• Flush your toilets to ensure they aren't flushing slowly or backing up.

• Leaks - Look for any signs of water damage in the area around your toilet as this is a sign the wax seal is leaking. Also use dye in the tank water and wait 30 minutes. If it shows up in the bowl within that time there's a leak which could cause trouble during a storm.

• Water Supply - Make sure you can turn on/off the water supply to your toilets.

Faucets in a Storm

• Check for leaking faucets around the handles and any slow or fast drips.

• Make sure the faucets can be turned off/on correctly - ie. they don't take a long time to turn off or are hard to shut off.

• Again make sure you can shut off the water supply to all your sink faucets.