Sacramento’s Construction Boom is Putting Your Home’s Drain System to the Test

Sacramento is experiencing an unprecedented construction boom that’s reshaping the entire region. The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) announced that the region built 12,500 homes in 2024, marking the highest housing production year since 2005 and a 60 percent increase compared to just five years ago. According to Dodge Data & Analytics, regional construction starts experienced a boom in 2024 to reach $11.4 billion. While this growth brings economic benefits and addresses housing shortages, it’s creating hidden challenges for existing residential drainage systems that homeowners need to understand and address proactively.

How Construction Activity Impacts Your Home’s Drainage

The massive scale of development across Sacramento County is affecting residential drain systems in ways many homeowners don’t realize. Construction activities can threaten stormwater quality in a number of ways: disturbed sediment and materials delivered or stored onsite can enter the storm drains, rainwater on site can carry pollutants into the drains, and changing the landscape from permeable to impervious by adding buildings, concrete and asphalt can affect how rainwater enters the stormwater system.

When nearby construction projects disturb soil and alter natural drainage patterns, the effects ripple through entire neighborhoods. Aging pipes can develop cracks or fractures due to shifting soil, ground movement, or freezing and thawing. These issues can allow soil or debris to enter the pipe, causing blockages and leaks. The increased runoff from new impervious surfaces like roads, driveways, and buildings puts additional strain on existing drainage infrastructure that may already be operating near capacity.

The Soil Shifting Problem

One of the most significant but least visible impacts of Sacramento’s construction boom is soil shifting and settling. During construction, we are concerned with erosion that can contribute excess sediments to the storm drainage system and local creeks. When heavy construction equipment operates nearby, it can cause ground vibrations that affect soil stability around existing homes.

Clay soils, in particular, expand when wet and contract when dry. This cyclical movement, known as heaving and settling, can place immense stress on the foundation. Over time, this stress can cause cracking, shifting, and even breaking of the foundation material. These soil movements don’t just affect foundations—they can also cause residential drain pipes to shift, separate at joints, or develop cracks that lead to blockages and backups.

Increased Stormwater Volume and Debris

The transformation of Sacramento’s landscape from permeable to impervious surfaces is dramatically increasing stormwater runoff volume. When property that contributes drainage to the storm drain system or combined sewer system is improved or developed, all stormwater and surface runoff drainage impacts resulting from the improvement or development shall be fully mitigated to ensure that the improvement or development does not affect the function of the storm drain system or combined sewer system.

However, older residential drain systems weren’t designed to handle the increased volume and debris load from widespread development. Construction sites generate sediment, concrete particles, and other materials that can find their way into residential drainage systems, causing clogs and reducing flow capacity.

Warning Signs Your Drains Are Being Affected

Sacramento homeowners should watch for several indicators that nearby construction and development may be impacting their drainage systems:

• A drop in water pressure throughout the house can indicate a sewer line problem, especially if it’s accompanied by gurgling sounds or slow drains.
• Frequent drain clogs in multiple fixtures that weren’t problematic before
• Sewage odors inside or outside the home
• Unusually wet spots in the yard or areas of exceptionally lush grass growth
• Gurgling noises from drains when water is running elsewhere in the house

Professional Solutions for Construction-Related Drain Issues

When construction-related drainage problems arise, professional intervention is often necessary. Modern drain cleaning sacramento services utilize advanced techniques to address these challenges effectively.

Trenchless technology solutions are much more efficient than traditional methods. In fact, smaller projects can be completed within a single day! These methods are particularly valuable when dealing with construction-related drain issues because they minimize additional disruption to already stressed soil conditions.

At Armstrong Plumbing, we use advanced video inspection technology to see exactly what’s happening inside your home’s sewer system. As your trenchless company in Sacramento, our detailed inspections identify problems before they escalate into costly emergencies.

Murray Plumbing: Your Partner in Drain System Protection

For Sacramento area residents dealing with construction-related drainage challenges, Murray Plumbing offers comprehensive solutions backed by decades of experience. Murray Plumbing services businesses and homes throughout Sacramento County and El Dorado County. Our family-owned plumbing company is licensed and insured, servicing Placerville, Cameron Park, Shingle Springs, Diamond Springs, Camino, Pollock Pines, Coloma, Folsom, and the westward side of the Sierra Nevada area.

With over half a century of experienced craftsmanship, Murray Plumbing is a family-owned business you can trust. As the current owner, Shawn Murray knows firsthand what it takes to provide customers with reliable and quality service – something he learned from his grandfather growing up in the family trade. At Murray Plumbing, customers are always the top priority.

The company’s values center around family and reliability. For us at Murray Plumbing, family is what matters most. We believe it’s our duty to provide you and your loved ones with a reliable plumbing system that gives you peace of mind.

Preventive Maintenance During Construction Booms

Given Sacramento’s ongoing development, proactive drain maintenance is more important than ever. It’s essential to address these issues promptly to prevent more significant problems, such as sewage backups or pipe collapses. Professional plumbing inspections and repairs can help identify the precise location and nature of the problem, allowing for effective and timely solutions, like sectional point repair, to restore proper water pressure and drainage throughout your property.

Regular video inspections can detect early signs of construction-related damage before they become major problems. Armstrong Plumbing’s sewer camera inspections empower Sacramento homeowners to make informed decisions about their plumbing infrastructure. Armstrong Plumbing’s sewer camera inspections give Sacramento homeowners the complete picture of their sewer system’s health, allowing for informed decisions about maintenance and repairs.

Looking Ahead: Preparing for Continued Growth

Sacramento’s construction boom shows no signs of slowing down. A building boom is coming soon for West Sacramento’s Southport neighborhood as a new development of 3,000 homes is finally expected to break ground as early as next year. Adding 3,000 new homes could translate to a population increase in West Sacramento of 7,000 to 10,000 people. That’s an 18% increase in the city’s population which is about 55,000 residents right now, per the 2022 census.

Homeowners who take proactive steps to protect and maintain their drainage systems will be better positioned to handle the ongoing impacts of regional development. This includes scheduling regular inspections, addressing minor issues quickly, and working with experienced professionals who understand the unique challenges posed by Sacramento’s construction environment.

The key to protecting your home’s drainage system during this period of unprecedented growth is staying vigilant for warning signs and partnering with trusted professionals who can provide both preventive maintenance and emergency repairs when needed. With proper care and professional support, Sacramento homeowners can ensure their drainage systems remain functional and reliable despite the challenges posed by the region’s historic construction boom.