The cleanup after any natural disaster can be a nerve-wracking and stressful time for anyone that has been affected by it. The best way to combat this sense of overwhelming stress is to prioritize and take it one step at a time. It’s important to realize how an earthquake can affect the infrastructure and underground workings of your home. Take for instance, your home’s plumbing lines.
An earthquake can cause damage to pipelines, electrical underground wiring and anything of importance that may be in the way. The team at Raptor Rooter & Plumbing is equipped to help our customers in Spokane and surrounding areas. Here are just a few things to take into consideration after an earthquake has happened.
Loose Or Damaged Pipes
Even a light earthquake can damage your home’s plumbing system. Sometimes problems won’t present themselves to homeowners initially due to their hidden nature, but if not treated right away, they can lead to costly repairs or replacements.
Seismic activity can cause water and gas lines to shift, breaking their connections. This can lead to major water damage like leaks in your walls and even affect the wooden infrastructure and electrical wiring inside your house.
If it’s time to schedule your plumbing inspection, turn to our team. We have a team of technicians and gas line plumbers who can inspect water lines, gas pipes, sewer lines and more.
Damaged Sewer Line
Sewer lines run from your home to the street and all throughout the neighborhood you live in. Too much underground motion can cause the pipes to break, crack or come apart at the joints.
With this, sewage can leak into your yard, cause back-ups in your home’s plumbing and more. Raptor Rooter & Plumbing can assess all damage and get to work repairing and replacing your broken sewer lines.
Water Heater Connections
Scheduling a water heater inspection after an earthquake should always be a top priority on your household. Water heaters can become disconnected from their outgoing and incoming pipes in the event of an earthquake.
If your water heater becomes disconnected from the pipes, this can cause issues with your home not getting enough hot water, or even cause leaks throughout your space. These issues do not show immediately, but over time, they can worsen. Make sure to schedule an inspection or water heater repair with our team.
Seismic Gas Shutoff Valve
Seismic valves, also known as “earthquake valves,” are a crucial part of plumbing systems in Spokane. Whenever the seismic valves detect strong enough vibrations, the valve will automatically shut off the flow of gas to your home.
This happens during a seismic shake of a 5.4 or larger. When an earthquake does happen and the valve is activated, it’s important to know how to perform a seismic valve reset. Seismic valves are located on the outside of your home, downstream of the gas utility meter.
There will be one of two colors that indicate if gas is flowing. Green means that gas line is flowing, and red means the gas line is shut. To reset the valve, all you need is a simple screwdriver. Insert the screwdriver into the reset slot and turn it clockwise. You’ll see the color switch to indicate the valve is open.
After you reset your valve, it would be a good idea to get your plumbing and valves inspected by a certified company. A natural disaster like an earthquake can cause a multitude of problems with your plumbing and will worsen over time if not treated right away.
Contact Raptor Rooter For Spokane Plumbing Services
Our team can provide comprehensive inspections, gas line repairs and more. Remember to reach out to Raptor Rooter & Plumbing for thorough and dependable service. Contact us today!
