The skies open up over Tucson every summer, and it’s a time when the desert comes alive with lightning, thunder, and sudden downpours. The annual monsoon season sees dramatic shifts in the weather, but it can be a bittersweet experience. While the rain cools down the infamous Arizona heat and helps the cacti drink, it can also wreak havoc on residential plumbing, particularly sewer lines.
Tucson has clay-heavy soils prone to easy shifting. When storms rain down inches of water in just a few minutes, unprepared sewer lines can get overwhelmed quickly. The potential results include foul odors, backed-up drains, flooded yards, and expensive repairs.
Why Monsoon Season Is a Big Deal for Sewer Lines in Tucson
Tucson gets approximately half of its total rainfall in under three months. Late June starts the local monsoon season that ends in the middle of September. Living here means that a single storm can pour the equivalent of multiple months of water onto your property, impacting your yard, foundation, and sewer system.
The effects of this on your sewer line can include shifting soil, flash flooding, tree roots, and complications with older infrastructure. Tucson soils are rich in caliche clay that expands when wet and contracts as it dries, a cycle that puts constant pressure on buried pipes. Backups can happen in the city’s sewer and stormwater infrastructure when rapid storm runoff overwhelms the available drains and pipes. Palo verde and mesquite trees frequently send their roots towards sewer lines, especially during the dry season. When monsoon time arrives, this can result in total blockages.
Certain neighborhoods have older homes and infrastructure, such as central Tucson or areas like Armory Park. These residences are more likely to have aging pipes, often made of Orangeburg or clay; both are at higher risk of collapse when put under stress.
Telltale Signs Your Sewer Line Might Be at Risk
Before the annual rains start, pay attention to your home’s plumbing. Knowing the early warning signs can help you find out if your line is already in troublesome condition. If you experience any of these, take action before the next storm system rolls in. Any drains in your home that are slower than usual deserve consideration, particularly if there is more than one acting up at once. Be mindful of toilets that gurgle or bubble after flushing, and sniff around for foul odors and sewer-like smells from your showers and sinks. Check your yard for overly green patches or standing water, and try to remember if you had backups during summer storms in the last several years.
Get a Sewer Line Inspection Before Monsoon Season
The ideal time to address sewer problems is before they have a chance to grow into emergencies. Plumbing professionals can do sewer line video inspections that look for root intrusions, blockages, cracks, and more. These inspections are even more beneficial for homes over 30 years of age, properties with a known history of backups, and homes in flood-prone, low-lying areas. As a Tucson homeowner, this service might save you thousands of dollars in repair bills and flood damage during monsoon season.
Clean Out Your Sewer Line Now Instead of Later
A clog isn’t going to fix itself. If your home’s sewer line has a partial blockage before it rains, the additional water pressure and storm runoff can create a total backup. Talk to our plumbing professionals about hydro jetting services that use high-pressure water to remove tree roots, mineral deposits, sediment, grease buildup, and debris from yard runoff and desert winds. A clean line flows properly, and that’s what your home needs the next time the skies open up.
Install a Backwater Valve To Prevent Backups
A backwater valve is a must-have feature for flood-prone homes in the Tucson area because it prevents sewage from flowing back from the main city line and up into your home. In a monsoon, the main sewer lines across the city can quickly and easily hit capacity. If your home doesn’t have a backwater valve, the rising overflow can enter your home directly through tubs, toilets, and floor drains.
Some neighborhoods, including older East Side developments and parts of Midtown, are more susceptible. Consult your plumbing professional about whether you’re in an at-risk area. If so, installing a valve before the kickoff of monsoon season can give you peace of mind and a cleaner home.
Improve Drainage Around Your Home
Not all of your monsoon prep will necessarily involve plumbing professionals. A desert yard might not look like it’s a serious drainage concern, but a Tucson monsoon can turn a dry wash into a raging river in just minutes. Have your soil graded to slope away from sewer connections and your home, and make sure your roof downspouts are extended a minimum of 6 feet from the foundation of your house.
Install French drains or dry wells in the lowest spots of your property, and make sure that street gutters and storm drains are kept clear of debris and gravel. These basic improvements can prevent water from pooling around your property’s sewer line or seeping into joints and cracks.
Address Basement and Lower-Level Plumbing Risks
Most Tucson homes don’t have basements, but certain house styles face flood risks. Older adobe-style homes might have sunken living rooms, and split-level houses have significant square footage susceptible to water damage. Floor drain check valves are something you can have professionally installed to prevent sewage entry.
Elevate laundry machines and water heaters off the ground, and put a sump pump into any crawl spaces likely to collect water. If you have any plumbing fixtures below the ground level surrounding your home, consult your plumbing professional for storm-specific solutions.
Seal Gaps and Cracks in Your Foundation
Monsoon flooding doesn’t always use the front door. It’s also possible for water to seep in through gaps near sewer cleanouts, utility pipe penetrations, and cracked foundations. Expanding foam, weatherproof silicone, and professional-grade sealants are all options for keeping water out and reducing the pressure your plumbing systems face during heavy rain.
A Little Prep Goes a Long Way
The monsoon season in Tucson can be a beautiful experience that comes with desert life, but it doesn’t always play nicely with residential plumbing. If you’d like to avoid nasty surprises during these months, the time is now to make sure your system is in good shape with our sewer line services professionals. From cleanouts and inspections to backwater valves and drainage upgrades, plenty of tools and professional services are available to protect your home. Flash floods can happen in the desert in mere minutes, but a little bit of prevention does wonders to keep your property safe.
Cal’s Plumbing provides residents of Tucson and the surrounding areas with plumbing, drain, water heater, and water treatment services. If you’re worried about being ready for monsoon season, we offer services for septic tanks, leach fields, backflow prevention, and camera inspections. Contact Cal’s Plumbing for all your home’s sewer and sump pump needs and services.
