Sewer backup is one of the worst things to ever have to deal with in plumbing. It’s a mess, for the most part hazardous to your health. Rooter Man Plumbing knows this can be frustrating. This is why we offer a full range of services in septic and sewer, including septic tank pumping, cleaning, and installation.
What Is A Sewage Backup?
A sewage backup is when wastewater is supposed to drain away into your septic tank or the main sewer line, becoming pushed back into your home. This will happen because something blocks the wastewater’s movement away through the drain pipes and into the sewer line. This blockage becomes strong enough to result in wastewater going nowhere but backward into your sinks, toilets, and drains.
A sewage backup is not only an inconvenience that disrupts your daily routine but also damages your property and causes severe health concerns. Knowing what might cause a backup and what you can do to prevent it is always good.
Common Causes of Sewage Backups
Clogged Pipes
Clogged pipes are the most common sewage backups. This blockage is due to the grease buildups, food scraps, hair, and other debris that find their way into the drains.
Tree Roots
Tree roots also invade sewer pipes in search of water. The roots will grow and expand inside the pipes, causing blockages that, in turn, cause sewage backups.
Damaged Sewer Pipes
Sewer pipes may deteriorate over time, especially if they are old. Cracked, collapsed, or misaligned pipes impede the smooth flow of wastewater, causing backups.
Heavy Rainfall
Heavy rainstorms can enter and overwhelm municipal sewer systems, allowing backups through homes connected to such a system. The additional water has nowhere to go and may push sewage back into your home.
Older Sewer Lines
However, over time, aging sewer lines clog and deteriorate, becoming more susceptible to damage. If you reside in an older residence and yet have original sewer lines, then you are more apt to experience a sewage backup.
How To Avoid Sewage Backups
Only Flush Human Waste and Toilet Paper
Most people have gotten into the habit of treating their toilets like trash cans, disposing of wet wipes, paper towels, and even feminine hygiene products down the toilet. None of these things “dissolve” as quickly and might bring blockage into your sewer line. Human waste and toilet paper are all that should be going into your toilets.
Replace Old Sewer Lines
If your house is equipped with sewer lines that are at least somewhat older, you have conditions that include deterioration, infiltration by tree roots, and mineral buildup in your pipes that eventually lead to blockages. Replacing aging sewer pipes will increase the efficiency of your plumbing system and reduce the risk associated with sewage backups.
Schedule Sewer Line Cleaning regularly
You can avoid blockage if you have your sewer lines cleaned on a regular basis, say every 18-22 months. There are professional cleaning services that would clean off the buildups and debris along the pipes to let the wastewater pass easily.
Regularly Inspect Your Sewer Line
You can catch most of the problems early before they become major. A plumber will examine the sewer lines for breaks and misalignment and other forms of damage and then recommend needed repairs that will go a long way to prevent backups in the future.
Need Help With A Sewage Backup? Call Rooter Man Plumbing
Is the sewer backed up? No worries. Rooter-Man Plumbing is here to help. Our plumbers specialize in everything from septic tank installation and repair to sewer line cleaning. Call now for inspections and repairs to keep your home’s plumbing running correctly.