What are the Different Types of Drainage Repair?

From a private home's rainwater drain to a large industrial sewer system, there are many ways that plumbing can break down. Drainage repair falls into several categories of complexity. Rainwater runoff, waterproofing, general home plumbing and even pest control are all different types of drainage repair. There are many professionals trained to handle these issues, and some repairs are simple enough that homeowners can handle them without any help.

Home drainage repair has the widest range of problems and solutions. A home's internal plumbing passes everything from sewage to clothes washer water to a kitchen sink's remnants. A clogged drain or leaky pipes generally can be fixed with a simple understanding of plumbing and generally do not require a professional. Blocked and rusted pipes often require a professional plumbing contractor to visit and evaluate the situation, many times having to replace internal pipes and those buried under the ground.

Waterproofing and French drain systems frequently are another source of drainage repair. Both of these place perforated pipes under a yard or foundation in order to filter out any standing water. If standing water returns, they must be unearthed and inspected. These pipes generally are supposed to last decades, but they often can become clogged with earth or can crack from the underground pressure, resulting in faulty drainage.

Another way many homes aim to avoid flooding is to have a rainwater runoff system that does not dump from the rooftop gutters to the ground but into the sewer system instead. Like waterproofing pipes, these often can break and clog the system, causing the failure to send water to the sewer. Again, the drainage system usually is dug up and replaced as a form of drainage repair.

Larger, industrial sewage systems have more complex demands of drainage repair. These usually are the massive pipes that cities use to usher out sewage and runoff water, and they often consist of cement and metal pipes large enough for workers to fit into. When these crack or clog, sidewalks, roads and cement often have to be broken up, and large cranes are used to move the tubes. Home drainage repair usually is the work of one or two people, but these jobs can require dozens of specialized workers to fix everything properly. Pest control is another issue for city drainage systems, because animals such as rats often make their homes in these underground tunnels and cause unsanitary situations.