If excess water, also referred to as standing water, is unable to flow or drain away properly it will become stagnant over time. This can happen to flood water after heavy rainfall, overflowing watercourses, dirty water from overflowing drains and sewers or other water from commercial processes. Problems can also occur if a pipe is leaking or burst entirely which can cause water to accumulate over time. If left untreated, it will become stagnant water.
What Problems Could Arise if Standing Water Is Left Undrained?
If left undrained, standing water can quickly become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria and become stagnant. It also puts your property at risk of structural damages that can be rather costly to fix and cause roads and pavements to deteriorate.
Health Hazards
Bacteria and mould thrive in moist environments. Water that has been sat there for a long time provides the perfect opportunity for bacteria to grow and presents your business or home with a potential health and safety problem.
As well as this vermin and insects are attracted to standing water as a water source. Also, many insects, such as mosquitoes, use standing water to breed. Of course, no one wants to be inundated with rats or insects and any associated diseases, so preventing stagnant water is vital. If you think your commercial or domestic premises may have a rat infestation, installing a rodent prevention device like a rat blocker for drains may be the best solution.
Structural Damages
Standing water often goes unnoticed and by the time it’s discovered, the damage has already been done. Over long periods excess water can seep into the foundations of your property leading to a build-up of excess moisture. This can result in damp and mould which will slowly start to deteriorate your flooring, walls, and other structural aspects of your property.
Roads and Pavements
Standing water can also cause roads and pavements to deteriorate. For example, if the standing water seeps underneath the road’s surface and freezes, it will expand which can cause the concrete to crack.
Pools of water also create unseen dangers such as open manholes or missing gully covers underneath the water. If you do happen to drive through the water and there is a pothole or missing cover underneath, you could cause serious damage to your vehicle. Additionally, large pools of standing water on pavements or roads can cause accessibility issues for vehicles and pedestrians.
What Can You Do to Stop Standing Water?
Prevention is the best solution to stop stagnant water and any hazards it causes. There are few preventive measures you can take to stop a serious problem from arising, such as:
- Maintain and check your drains regularly for blockages and signs of damage or poor performance. Don’t forget to check both indoor and outdoor drains.
- Contact a professional drainage expert if you spot any signs of a blocked drain. When it comes to blocked drains, there are a few common signs to look out for:
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- Gurgling plughole
- Rising water in the toilet after you flush
- Bathroom facilities that are emptying very slowly
- Reflux from your pipes and plugs
- Bad smells coming from drains
- Overflowing manholes and gullies
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- Regularly clean interceptors and car park drain channels.
- Check and clear gutters on a frequent basis.
- Internal plumbing can cause major issues with flooding and damage if not correctly maintained. We recommend that you locate and check your main water supply stop valve to allow for quick isolation of any leaks or bursts.
How Metro Rod Can Help
Damage and disruption from standing and stagnant water can quickly escalate. No matter the size of the problem, our experienced drainage engineers can provide expert flood relief and water removal services via our fleet of vacuum tankers to effectively minimise the damage caused by stagnant water.
If you are experiencing problems due to surface water flooding or standing water, don’t hesitate to contact your local Metro Rod depot or call us on 0800 66 8800.
Have a plumbing problem? Our sister company, Metro Plumb, are also on hand to fix and leaking pipes.
Talk to your local Metro Rod specialist
We are always happy to arrange a free site assessment and no obligation quotations for any work you might need. Alternatively, you can call our emergency hotline number on 0800 66 88 00
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