A sewer backup is when subsurface water from your drainage system can no longer drain properly. This can be caused by excessive grease in your drain, tree roots, collapsed lines, or flushing hygiene products.
When your sewer backs up, the subsurface water will come up wherever possible. This may be in your toilet, sinks, tubs, showers, or any other drain that it can access, leaving you with a big mess to clean up.
- Only Flush Toilet Paper
- Tree Roots
- Avoid Grease
- Line Sewage Pipes
- A Sewer Backup Valve
- Sewage Cleanout
- Pipe Replacement
Flushing sanitary products that belong in the trash is one of the fastest ways to plug up your sewage system. This refers to certain hygiene products, flushable wipes, diapers, paper towels, or anything else that shouldn't be put down the drain. Your sewage system is designed to handle waste and toilet paper only. Flushing unapproved items can eventually lead to you having a sewer backup.
Tree roots may not overgrow, but it only takes a moment for it to block your drain line and cause a sewer backup. You need to know where your sewer lines are located and consider if any large trees are close enough to damage them. Tree roots and even the roots of bushes can fully penetrate your sewage line. If there is already a mature tree close to your sewer line, you can have a certified plumbing company visually inspect your line with a camera to check for damages. If you don't, just try and avoid planting any trees or bushes near your sewage line in the future.
When you dump something like cooking grease down a drain, it may be a hot liquid now, but it won’t stay that way. Running hot water behind it won’t solve the problem either. That grease or oil gets into your main drain and starts to cool. By the time it gets out of your house, it has cooled enough to start turning into hard slime, which starts sticking to the inside of your drain lines, making it smaller and more accessible for blockages to occur. That grease will build up enough to leave you with a sewer backup if this continues.
For example, if you have old sewer lines like the old clay pipes, they can start to break and crack over time. These lines are much easier for roots to enter than other options. If replacing the sewer line is out of the question, your preferred plumbing company can do a video inspection. This will give them a visual of whether your pipes can be lined and accurately represent your options.
As a homeowner, you should have a professional plumber installs a sewer backup preventer. This device allows the sewage to flow past it with no issue while using a valve to close the pipe off if sewage ever attempts to come back up the pipe. They are effectively preventing a sewer backup in your home.
An essential piece to your plumbing system is a cleanout. If you do not have one, you should discuss it with your preferred plumbing professional. A sewage cleanout is a point in your sewer line where a plumber can access your sewer line. This will allow them to run a drain auger into your system and clean out any clogs that may have caused your sewage backup. A drain auger is generally the first step in resolving a sewer backup.
Once a plumbing professional inspects your old pipes, they may recommend replacing the sewer line if the lining is not a good option. Perhaps too many roots have invaded the line, or it was too full of grease. The new plastic pipe is far more difficult for tree roots to enter, and the new pipe will help ensure that you are trouble-free for years to come.
The best thing to do is get in touch with your preferred plumbing professional and let them help guide you through the process. Call Restore Pipe Systems now, and we will serve you in the best way.
