Residents of Noonday Creek in Woodstock have a tough time when heavy rain arrives in Georgia. When a big storm comes through the area, peoples' yards get soggy and then, before you know it, the drains inside your house start behaving strangely. The water in the shower takes longer than it should to drain out or the toilet starts gurgling. The worst is when the drains in the basement start to smell like a sewer for a day or two.
This can feel like an inexplicable problem until you realize that heavy rain impacts on the ground around your home. This then affects the pipes and drainage system in your home and in the wider Noonday Creek neighborhood.
The following is a guide which explains this phenomenon for local homeowners.
The basic explanation: How rain changes pressure, saturation, and flow
Let's start with a basic fact: drain systems are designed to move water and the waste within it away from your home. But these drainage systems rely on the soil around the pipes being able to absorb some water. Conversely, the pipe joints have to be secure enough that they are not letting groundwater into the pipes. On top of this, the city sewer has to have enough capacity to be able to take in the waste water from your system, while enough air has to also be moving through the vents to drain smoothly.
Simply put, heavy rain can impact on each of these dynamics, so your drainage system is actually much more fragile than you might think.
Geography plays a role here too. If you live in proximity to Noonday Creek, the groundwater level, by sheer dent of where you are relative to the creek, can rise quite quickly. Low-lying areas in the region then basically act like a big collection point for the water that is coming down out of the sky or pouring out of local drains. Then, when the soil becomes saturated, the water cannot soak into the ground in the way it ideally would. Instead it pushes sideways and up, into places which under normal circumstances it does not go to.
What does elevated groundwater actually do to your drains?
When the ground gets really wet in a place, be it Noonday Creek or anywhere else, the water table in that area rises. That's just a fancy way of saying that the ground is now holding or retaining so much water that you can see it up at the surface.
Then, if you have any tiny cracks in the pipes buried around your house, or even loose joints or older fittings, groundwater in the soil can start to infiltrate the system. There doesn't need to be anything dramatic broken here. Sometimes it's just small gaps in the system that allow water to seep in.
This is the kind of problem a homeowner will never notice until such time as a storm comes along and the system suddenly starts to take on an awful lot more water than it usually would.
Now, under these more unusual circumstances, your drain is trying to deal with more rainwater than it was designed to handle. The pipes fill quicker than the weakest drain under the house can deal with and water starts to back up in the shower or some other unit.
Why do homes near Noonday Creek experience this more than other areas?
So why is this a particular problem around Noonday Creek? Areas like this are naturally wetter owing to their proximity to the creek. Even in normal weather, the soil will tend to be wetter. Then, once heavy rain comes along, the area becomes saturated and it takes a long time for the water to drain off.
In Woodstock a lot of homes have been built on ground which contains a mix of red clay and compacted soil. This clay holds water for longer than other soil types. Thus, after a heavy rainstorm, a lot of water basically gets stuck in the soil around the pipes underneath the houses here. That prolonged saturation puts pressure on any existing imperfections in those pipes.
Furthermore, storm drains and ditches in the neighborhood are more easily overwhelmed in these conditions and when these storm systems back up even more water needs to find somewhere to flow to in the area. If your yard has ever been turned into a temporary pond, it could well be because the ground around your house has become waterlogged owing to a combination of proximity to the creek and what are relatively minor faults in your drainage system.
The invisible traffic jam underneath your street
If your home is connected to a municipal sewer then heavy rain during a storm can cause what plumbers call surcharge conditions. Basically, this is a scenario where the main sewer lines underneath the street are being inundated with a lot more water than is normal. The kind of sewer matters here; if
the infrastructure is old, or there is an illegal downspout or cracked main, a lot more rainwater will get in during intense storms and can then create a bottleneck.
In a situation like this, the water will not always start backing up into your house. The problem can manifest in a more subtle way. Drains start emptying slower and you might hear a gurgling sound out of the pipes. What's happening is your home's drainage system is trying to push the water out, but it can't do so because the wider municipal system that it is connected to is overloaded.
If this only happens when it rains heavily and then goes back to normal after the ground dries out, then that is a big hint that you have a wider pressure issue connected to heavy rain, rather than it simply being a case of a pipe being clogged with hair or grease.
A normal clog consistently backs up when you run a shower or sink, regardless of what's happening outside. A problem connected to the wider municipal system only becomes apparent when there is really bad weather.
When the problem is caused by a septic system
Sometimes the problem is connected to your own septic tank, if you have an isolated system. The problem caused by heavy rain in these instances is different.
A septic tank's drainage mechanism requires what's known as a drainage field. Think of this like the tank needing pores to oxygenate it and allow water to seep out slowly into the soil. If the soil in the drainage field is saturated, then it cannot absorb the discharge from the tank in an efficient way. Then the system slows down, the tank fills up to the outlet level much faster, and the plumbing inside the home stops working as efficiently as it normally would.
Venting issues
Your drains need to vent. This surprises a lot of people. After all, when we think of a pipe system we assume that it needs to be fully secure to prevent it from leaking. But at the same time your drain system needs air provided via plumbing vents. These let clean air in and expel sewer gas out so that the water can flow without a vacuum being created or the gas building into a pressure lock.
How is this relevant? Well, during storms or heavy rain, changes in wind pressure can amplify existing venting problems that are typically invisible in normal weather. In these scenarios, a vent that is partially blocked by debris can suddenly become very apparent, as it places the system under stress.
In these circumstances, when a faucet is run you might hear an unexpected noise, or the toilet might feel like its running slower than it should.
The rain isn't blocking the vent in these cases. Instead the ventilation is causing the system to struggle.
Lowest drains are always the first to complain
If you have problems like these in your drainage system, you'll typically notice it first in the drains and outlets that are closest to the ground. This is because plumbing is gravity based. If something gets blocked or backs up outside, the lowest fixtures in your house, which are closest to the wider system, are the first to show it.
For homes in the Woodstock area that have basements or terrace levels the fixtures within them will act as the early warning system when there is a drainage problem. For instance, a shower in your basement will back up easily during a storm if there is a problem and signal that the main line is not keeping pace with the level of water that needs to drain out. This
is also why floor drains in garages can suddenly smell a whole lot worse after a bout of heavy rain.
In cases like this, where plumbing issues arise due to venting problems or drainage issues exacerbated by heavy rain or storms, it's crucial that you seek professional help before you end up with a nasty flood in your house. Emergency plumbing services cater to addressing urgent issues like this promptly and effectively.
Tree roots, clay soil, and shifting pipes
Often a storm will expose problems that are slowing down your drainage system rather than overpowering it altogether. In these cases, the storm just reveals existing problems.
Tree roots can be a big culprit. Roots are drawn towards moisture, as they typically need water to live. A tiny, hairline leak in a pipe can create enough moisture that roots grow instinctively towards it. Over time the roots create a web around your pipe, which now has an inbuilt strainer, one that catches everything that comes through it. This creates blockages over time. It might still appear to work properly most days, but then a storm comes along, with all the extra water that involves, and suddenly the flow through that drain or pipe slows dramatically. In this scenario it looks as though the storm has created the clog, but in reality the problem was a more longstanding issue that only manifested when the storm occurred.
Clay soil can add a further layer of trouble. Clay is extremely absorbent, so when it gets wet, it expands, while it shrinks when it dries. This expansion and contraction of clay soil around your buried pipes stresses the joints and creates slight gaps or separations in the system. Those gaps then let groundwater in during storms and periods of heavy rain.
Storm-water drains versus sewer drains
Many homes have different types of drainage systems around them doing different jobs. For instance, gutters and downpipes move roof water from the roof of your house to drains at ground level without the water flying off randomly in every direction. Yard drains and water channels clear surface water in an orderly manner. And sewer drains move wastewater from inside to other locations.
If these systems are not working properly or are incorrectly connected to each other, then you can get problems that only manifest during periods of heavy rain. The most common example of this is when a downpipe is connected to a sanitary sewer line. Under normal circumstances you would never notice the problem, but during a storm you suddenly notice that a huge amount of clean rainwater is pouring into a pipe that typically handles waste. The pipe can then prove unable to handle the level of water.
When to call a professional
If you think you have a problem with your drains, you can wait and see after one storm, but if there is a pattern of blockages you need to treat the causes instead of the symptoms.
Slow drains across multiple fixtures in your home, gurgling sounds that start after heavy rains, or water in a tub or shower when you flush a toilet are all signs that it's time to contact a professional.
Also, if you've had “drain cleaning” carried out on multiple occasions and this hasn't solved the issue, that is also a strong sign that you need to contact a plumber.
First steps for a plumber
When you call a plumber out they will do a number of things first, as follows:
- A diagnosis of the drain to confirm what is physically happening inside in your system.
- A camera inspection will identify any root intrusion that might be occurring or things like offset joints, cracks in the pipes, or buildup of material around them.
- A camera assessment can also show if and where rainwater infiltration is occurring. Even if it isn't actively raining when the test is carried out, you can sometimes see what parts of the system are damaged in ways that would cause problems during a storm.
- For homes near the creek, an examination of the main sewer lines is vital. Even a slightly compromised pipe can behave fine for most of the year only to become a real headache during a period of heavy rain. Fixing it early is much less painful than having it become a repeated, and more dangerous issue.
Some Woodstock-specific things to keep in mind
A large part of the Woodstock area, or around the wider north Atlanta suburbs, have a combination of older and newer infrastructure built right next to each other. This means that brand new homes are often connected to older sewer mains in a way that causes problems. It also means that two neighbors can have completely different experiences during the same storm.
Moreover, because Noonday Creek plays a part in local drainage patterns, heavy rain can create many short-lived but repeated cases where water backs up in and around your house. And that's when you honestly start to think you're living in a haunted house.
Getting the problem sorted without the stress
So who should you turn to when you need a professional to take care of the issue? Plumb N Plumber is a local plumbing company based right here in Woodstock. They serve Cherokee County and the greater north Atlanta suburbs. The company was started in 2014 as just one guy with a truck, but today it has grown into three teams who are out serving households every day. The business has grown because it's staffed by people who show up when they say they will, tell the truth, and don't try to upsell basic drain issues into some complicated mystery situation.
The team is led by Matthew LoPiccolo, Master Plumber MP210628, and includes J.T. O'Neill, Taylor Melton, Ben McCullough, and Parker Bonchonsky, plus Andrew Bridges, Journeyman Plumber JP507671. They cover general plumbing; drain cleaning; pipe repair; excavation; water-heater installation and repairs; and slab leak detection and repairs – basically, the stuff you actually need someone to look at when drains keep acting up, especially during heavy rain.
If you live in Woodstock, Canton, Holly Springs, Hickory Flat, Sixes, Kennesaw, Marietta, Roswell, East Cobb, Alpharetta, Milton, Cumming, Ball Ground, or even up towards Lake Lanier, they service all of those areas.
What to do immediately if a storm has hit and your drains are acting up
First, avoid running multiple fixtures at once, or running a single unit like the shower intensively. Adding more water to a system that isn't running properly can push it over the edge and flood your home. If you have a lower-level bathroom or shower, stop using it.
Secondly, do not pour any chemical drain cleaners into the system if there is water backing up. These chemicals often do not unclog the blockage and instead they sit in the pipes, creating a chemical hazard. You then have two problems instead of one!
Thirdly, record the patterns you can observe. Which fixture is backing up with water first? Is it only happening during periods of heavy rain? Are you hearing gurgling? Note these details and pass them on to your plumber, as they can allow for a faster and cheaper diagnosis.
Plumb N Plumber contact details
You can easily contact Plumb N Plumber by phone, email, or through their online contact form. Their headquarters are located at 2449 E Cherokee Dr, Woodstock, GA 30188, and they are open Monday through Friday from 08:00 AM to 07:00 PM.
When contacting them it's helpful to have a clear idea of what the problem is and the symptoms you've identified.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Why are my drains acting strangely after a period of heav
Heavy rain raises the groundwater level around your home, especially when you live near a body of water like Noonday Creek. The increased pressure on the water table causes groundwater to seep into any gaps in your drainage system and this in turn creates pressure on the system inside your house.
How does saturated soil outside affect my own home's drainage system?
If the soil around your house is saturated it means the ground is holding an excessive amount of water. In turn, this increases the amount of pressure being brought to bear on underground pipes. Many neighborhoods in and around Noonday Creek have clay soil which retains water and doesn't drain very quickly, which in turn worsens existing issues with your pipes.
What is city sewer surcharge and how does it impact on my home's drains during a
City sewer surcharge is what happens when a municipal sewer line has more water going into it than it can handle due to a large downpour during a storm. This creates a bottleneck effect that clogs the system and that then backs up into your home drainage system.
Why are drainage problems like this more common during or after heavy rainstorms?
Drain blockages are more common during and after storms because of pressure problems caused by excessive rainwater entering the system. While these problems tend to subside once the ground dries out and water levels return to normal, they do highlight underlying issues in your drainage system that can get worse over time if left untreated.
How does heavy rain affect septic tank systems differently from municipal sewers?
With a septic tank system, heavy rain will saturate the soil in the drainage field, reducing its ability to absorb excess wastewater that seeps from the tank. This causes the septic unit to fill up faster than it normally would, which in turn leads to slower drains, gurgling toilets, and so forth.
Can blocked plumbing vents worsen drain issues?
Yes. If plumbing vents are blocked air cannot get into the drainage system, which then limits smooth water flow and the release of sewer gases. During a storm, changes in wind and pressure level can highlight where vents are blocked by debris.
