After a hurricane hits our area, homeowners must go through an extensive checklist to clean up any property damage and take preventive measures to guarantee no major repairs down the road. Cleaning out drains needs to be part of your post-hurricane assessments. If the drains are blocked, then major flooding can occur when another storm strikes again.
Post-Hurricane Cleanup
Before inspecting the storm drains on your property, ensure the area is safe and secured. There should be no evidence of trees or large branches in danger of falling or downed wires. As long as the area is safe, use a flashlight to take a close look at the drains and see if you notice any obvious debris potentially clogging the drain.
Put on a pair of work gloves and remove most items by hand. This can include stones, branches, leaves, and trash. For large accumulations, use a pitchfork or rake to collect the debris. Do not dispose of the leaves and other materials in the street once removed from storm drain. Bag the leaves and place them in your trash collection pile for pickup.
For yard drains, you should also remove any objects blocking the opening. If the drain cover has been damaged during the hurricane, replace or repair the grate. Use your garden hose to run flowing water through the drain to remove any other debris not visible and check for blockages. At the drain cleanout point, you should see the water exiting the pipes.
Warnings
For storm drains, do not stick your hands through the grates due to injury risk. Also, do not attempt to remove the grate on your own. Never pour any chemicals into drains as a way to remove the debris.
Hydro jets and drain snakes are two tools that can be used to remove stubborn clogs in draining systems. However, due to the challenges of operating the machinery, you may want to call experienced plumbers to handle the job.
If you need assistance, contact the professionals at A to Z Statewide Plumbing. We can be reached at 1-800-930-1123 or online via website at http://www.atozstatewideplumbing.com/drain-system-cleanout/.
About Author
