When you buy a house, you assume the street out front is permanent. Lately, though, failing infrastructure and severe storms are bringing hidden hazards right to our front doors. Sometimes the biggest threat to your property is just the ground giving way.
The threat beneath the pavement
We spend plenty of time stressing over our own home maintenance. Yet we rely entirely on the municipal pipes buried just past our property lines. You probably don't think about the dirt supporting your driveway until it vanishes. When those underground systems fail, the fallout quickly becomes your problem. In Philadelphia, residents in the Logan neighborhood found this out the hard way when a water main break washed out the soil right under the asphalt.
The massive sinkhole completely shut down local traffic, as reported by cbsnews.com. It's an incredibly frustrating scenario. You can maintain your own plumbing perfectly, but an aging city pipe can still give out and swallow your street or threaten your foundation.
When weather accelerates the damage
Old pipes are a quiet hazard. Extreme weather is immediate. When a storm stalls over a neighborhood, all that water has to go somewhere. It usually finds the path of least resistance right down residential streets. A recent wave of severe storms swept through Indianapolis. The system left deeply flooded roads and fresh sinkholes behind.
The damage hit hard for one local artisan. Floodwaters wrecked the home and professional workshop of an Indianapolis furniture maker, AP News reports. If you work from home, a localized flood is a nightmare. It ruins more than just a basement couch. It can wipe out your small business overnight.
What's happening in your state
Pennsylvania: The collapse forced a complete street closure near the intersection of 11th and Ruscomb streets as crews responded to the damage. Logan neighborhood residents are now stuck waiting for the city to rebuild the roadway.
Indiana: Severe weather battered Indianapolis on August 16. Homeowners spent the following day assessing the wreckage, bailing out their properties, and waiting for the standing water to recede.
The bottom line for you
- If municipal water lines or heavy rains are shifting the soil near your property, keep a close eye on your home's structural health. Our Foundation & Structure guide explains exactly what warning signs to look for in your basement.
- Heavy summer storms are hitting harder. If you live in the Midwest, run through your Indiana seasonal checklist to make sure your gutters are clear before the next downpour.
- East Coast homeowners dealing with aging city infrastructure should review their Pennsylvania seasonal checklist to make sure private plumbing and backflow valves can handle municipal surges.