You may be asking yourself, “What is an underground drain?” An underground drain is a drain that goes underground and is connected to gutter downspouts. The main reason for this drain is to re-direct water away from the home, most often to the street or sidewalk. In some instances, they are even connected to the sewer line underground.
When an underground drain becomes clogged, many problems can occur to your gutter system. For instance, water is not able to drain the correct way from the gutter system which can cause water to overflow in different places. This will eventually damage your gutter system.
The following information will help you determine if your underground drains are clogged.
Signs Your Underground Drain is Clogged
The fastest way to know if your underground drain is clogged is to check the following crucial points of the gutter system while it is raining. If there is a leak or clog, you may never know about it until it is too late unless you observe your gutter system during the rain.
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- Water Pooling or Overflowing from the Downspout Connection
Downspouts should be connected to the underground drain with different sizes and shapes of adapters. These adapters make the transition smooth from one size of pipe to another, as well as stop water from leaking out of the downspouts. Remember, if you do not have the correct adapter then water will spill out every time it rains, no matter if the drain is clogged or not.
- Water Pooling or Overflowing from the Downspout Connection
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- Overflowing Gutters
When underground drains are clogged, the level of gutter overflow is usually pretty severe. When the underground drain is clogged and doesn’t let water flow through, the water still has to go somewhere. The downspout will first fill up with water. You might observe water coming from the downspout adapter; however, if the seal is good, there’s a chance you won’t see any water coming out at all. As soon as the downspout is full of water, the gutter will begin to fill, and you will see water coming out of every gutter seam it can find. Finally, once the gutter is full of water, the water will spill over the tops of the gutter in large amounts, if not throughout the entire gutter.- Water Leaking/Water Damage in the Basement
Issues with the gutter system is one of the main causes of water leaks in the basement. If the downspout empties too close to your house, water can get into your basement. Water can also backwash towards your house when underground drains are clogged. If you discover water getting into your basement and it is near the location of an underground drain, be sure to verify that the drain is clogged or clear.- Exit Point for the Underground Drain
The majority of underground drains empty out onto the street, sidewalk or driveway, and sometimes into storm drains that are located in the middle of the yard. Some may even connect right to the sewer system underground. If your underground drain is connected to the sewer, then you will not be able to check the exit point since it is underground. However, if your drain’s exit point is somewhere that you can see, then you can check it while it is raining to make sure the drain is flowing right.
- Exit Point for the Underground Drain
- Water Leaking/Water Damage in the Basement
- Overflowing Gutters
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If you have an underground drain and are worried that it may be clogged, go through the four signs listed above. They may be able to help you determine whether or not you need to hire a professional to unclog them. If your gutters have been destroyed due to clogged drains or they have become clogged themselves, contact GutterPros so we can get them cleaned out to prevent any further damage. GutterPros has been in business for 14 years due to our quality work, great reputation, and our dedication to every single customer. You can count on us to get the job done!