Several sinkholes have appeared across Sydney in recent years following heavy rain, burst water mains and underground construction, highlighting how destructive uncontrolled water can be when drainage systems fail. While sinkholes are rare in residential areas, if heavy rainfall has nowhere to go on and around your property due to blocked gutters, damaged stormwater pipes or poor backyard drainage, it can erode the soil around your home and damage your home’s foundations. With the increasingly unpredictable shifts in weather conditions from heatwaves to heavy rainfall across New South Wales, experts are advising homeowners to take steps to safeguard their homes before the next round of extreme weather.

“In all my time I have not seen so many high-risk weather events back-to-back. More and more, we’re seeing call outs for major plumbing damage due to storm impacts,” said Joe Rantino. 

Joe has been a plumber in Ryde for more than two decades and warns locals that getting their roof and backyard drainage checked before the next weather event should be a priority. Proactive plumbing maintenance may be one of the most effective ways to protect your home from long-term impacts of severe weather.

How Intense Rainfall Can Damage Your Home Without You Realising

When extreme weather hits, your roof and drainage system are your first line of defence against a range of serious problems. Poorly maintained plumbing systems can direct water back towards your home instead of away from it during periods of intense rainfall. This can lead to flooding around your property, water entering roof cavities or internal walls, and moisture damage and mould that may take weeks or even months for you to notice.

When water pools around the base of your home, due to unresolved backyard drainage issues, it can gradually erode the soil, increasing the risk of foundation movement or even cracking. In some cases, partially blocked or damaged stormwater pipes can collapse under the large volume of water flowing through them during a storm. Underground leaks of this nature erode surrounding soil and can even result in subsidence of your home over time. 

Prevention is Better Than Cure

“With the kind of weather we’ve been seeing, small plumbing jobs can escalate quickly,” Joe explained. “A simple maintenance check now can save homeowners thousands of dollars in damage after the next storm.”