ESCONDIDO (KGTV) — With a rainy winter expected, homeowners in North County communities like Escondido will need to make sure their drains are secure to prevent flooding in their homes.
ABC 10News talked to the experts about what you need to do to protect your property before the weather arrives.
Plumber Kenny Kniskern showed me where his plumbing trainees practice their craft — a training room filled with the fixtures and systems commonly found in a home, from pipes and toilets to sinks.
Kniskern said the first step to keeping things running smoothly is figuring out what pipe system you have. Newer homes typically use a black plastic material.
"It's joined together with a liquid solvent weld that seals the joints at all sides. It's great in sewer systems to clear out solid blockages of paper, things that normally go down the sewer system," Kniskern said.
However, that system has its limits when it comes to tree roots.
"It's not really great for tearing out large amounts of root systems like we see in these pipes. Once the system becomes impacted with roots, it's nearly impossible to service effectively," Kniskern said.
Kniskern said it's important to keep water from pooling around your home, because hidden water damage can be costly.
"When stormwater damage occurs, whether it's from a roof leak or from standing water on the exterior of the home, water can really get into all of these hidden spaces that you really can't see through your normal flooring and your drywall and your baseboards. And once water gets in there and soaks into the insulation," Kniskern said.
"That's when we have all the risks of bacterial growth, mold, all the bad things that require full demo and reconstruction," Kniskern said.
Kniskern said North County homes typically have more durable drainage systems because the houses are newer. Still, he said it's important to reach out to your local plumber to check for any issues.
"We think the home's newer. Everything's good to go. It's fine. You can't see anything because it's under the concrete and under the ground, but you might have a hidden risk that you're not gonna know about until we get a weather event like what we're looking at," Kniskern said.
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