Have you noticed a gurgling shower drain in your home, after a heavy downpour? This could be a sign of a bigger problem … here’s why.
The wastewater generated by your household or commercial premises has two very different destinations.
Stormwater or Sewerage System?
Firstly, the rainwater that comes off your roof and gutters ― so plentiful during storm season ― gets diverted into the stormwater system. Unless you have a water tank, this rainwater eventually ends up in local creeks and waterways. Stormwater is generally considered “clean” and low on contamination unlike domestic wastewater.
Most homes in Logan City are connected to the Logan sewerage system (unless they have a septic system, more common in acreage areas). “Grey” water from washbasins, showers, and laundries, as well as the heavily contaminated water used in toilets, leaves your home via the sewerage pipes until it reaches one of the sewage treatment plants at Beenleigh, Loganholme, Jimboomba, or Cedar Grove for processing.
Your home’s stormwater and sewerage drainage systems should be kept completely separate. This might seem obvious, but keen home DIYers sometimes unknowingly connect a pipe or drain to the wrong system, leading to potential plumbing issues.
Why does my Shower Gurgle when it Rains?
The gurgling shower drain that you hear when you’ve had heavy rainfall could indicate a stormwater pipe that’s being fed into a sewer pipe. The sewerage system is simply not designed to cope with the extra load, especially heavy downpours.
Similarly, if your toilet only gurgles when it rains, this could be a sign that rainwater is pouring into your sewer system. Excess water gushing into a restricted sewer line can cause gurgling noises and even overflows.
Consequently, local councils periodically check for illegal connections by smoke testing the sewer system. They do this by forcing a non-toxic smoke into the council sewer pipes and into house drainage pipes. If the coloured smoke can be seen coming out of a vent or manhole attached to your house, you’ve got a problem! Unfortunately, the onus is on you to fix any defects in the drainage located on your property, even if you have just bought it.
Drainage Experts
At Nuflow Logan, our drainage specialists use the latest technology to identify and fix defects in your drainage system. We send an underground CCTV camera to inspect the drain connections and find any problems including broken pipes, or blockages caused by invasive tree roots etc. Since we use existing drainage access points, we don’t need to dig up the backyard or carry out expensive excavations.
Our innovative technology allows us to repair broken pipes from the inside ― just like keyhole surgery for your stormwater or sewerage system! We get the job done while keeping disruption to a minimum.
This storm season, don’t be deterred by a gurgling shower drain or toilet. Contact the team at Nuflow Logan on 07 3277 8401 for professional and prompt service.
