Plumbing Advice
Monsoon Season Plumbing Checklist for Phoenix Homes
By Kenneth Parks ·
Every July, the first real monsoon storm rolls through and our phone lights up with the same call: the main line backed up. It isn't a coincidence. Here's what the storms do to your plumbing and what to check before they get here.
Why Storms Cause Backups
Monsoon rain dumps a lot of water into the ground fast. Saturated soil pushes water into any crack in a sewer line, and it carries dirt and debris with it. A line that was already narrowed by roots or grease goes from "slow" to "blocked" in one afternoon. The city sewer system gets a surge too, which can back things up at the connection. Older homes with clay or cast iron laterals are the usual victims.
The Checklist
- Get the main line scoped. If your home is older than about 1990 and you've never had the sewer line inspected, do it before the storms. A camera shows roots, bellies and cracks in a few minutes. We include it free with any drain cleaning.
- Clear slow drains now. A shower or kitchen drain that's "a little slow" in June is a backup in July.
- Check the yard drains and patio drains. Pull the grates, clear the leaves and dirt, and run a hose to make sure they flow. If water pools against the house during a storm, that's where it's coming from.
- Look at the roof vents. Debris and birds' nests block plumbing vents, and a blocked vent makes drains gurgle and slow.
- Know where your main water shut-off is. Storms take out power and sometimes pipes. Find the valve before you need it.
- Check the water heater's drain pan and discharge line if the unit is in the attic or an interior closet. Roof leaks and power outages both cause trouble there.
- If your home has a sump pump or ejector pump, test it. Pour a bucket of water in the pit and make sure it kicks on.
- Look at your hose bibs and irrigation backflow. Wind-driven debris and lightning strikes damage them more than you'd think.
If It Backs Up Anyway
Stop running water in the house. Every flush and every load makes it worse. Don't use chemical drain cleaner. Call us: a main-line backup is an emergency and we treat it as one, day or night. We'll clear the line and scope it so you know whether the storm was the cause or just the trigger.
The Long-Term Fix
If the line backs up every monsoon season, the pipe has a problem the storm keeps finding. Hydro jetting clears roots and scale for a season or more; a spot repair or trenchless replacement ends it. The camera footage will tell you which, and so will we.
$99 drain cleaning with a free camera scope