All About Sewer Line Backups
Sewer line backups are one of the most dreaded plumbing problems that can happen to a home. What could be worse than having water and sewage spill out of toilets and drains and coming back into the house? Luckily, homeowners can help avoid them by taking the proper steps. Here is a quick guide about backed-up sewer lines, including what can cause them, how to deal with them, and how to prevent backups.
What Can Cause Sewer Line Backups?
Sewer lines are buried underground, so it can be challenging to know when problems are occurring that can cause a backup. Some of the common causes of backed-up sewer lines are:
- Broken or damaged piping from shifting soil or age and wear and tear
- Crushed or collapsed pipes
- Tree roots entering underground piping, causing pipe damage or blockages
- Tough clogs in the line
- Corroded pipes
How to Repair Backed-Up Sewer Lines
To find the best solution to fix a sewer line backup, plumbers will first need to diagnose the problem that has caused it. When coming up with a plan of action for sewer line repairs, plumbers often start by using sewer video inspection to get an inside look at the sewer line and the problem causing the backup.
If the issue is a clog, drain cleaning methods like drain snaking or hydrojet drain cleaning can be used to clear any blockages. But suppose the line is corroded or damaged for any reason. In that case, it will require plumbers to either dig down to the source of the problem and make repairs or utilize trenchless sewer repair and replacement methods to fix the problem or replace the sewer line without excavation.
Preventing Sewer Line Backups
One question homeowners may be asking is if there are ways for them to prevent sewer line problems and backups. This is an excellent inquiry, especially considering the financial cost and stress of dealing with a sewer line problem. Homeowners can help prevent sewer line backups by preventing one of their most common causes, clogs. To help avoid clogs and backups, homeowners should:
- Throw away any cooking grease or oil into the garbage, not the drain, since it hardens as it cools and can cause tough clogs.
- Only flush toilet paper. All other items should be discarded in the garbage to prevent not only toilet clogs but sewer line clogs.
- Schedule routine drain cleaning and plumbing maintenance services with a plumber to catch and solve issues early before they can lead to backups.
- Use hair catchers and drain screens in showers, bathtubs, and sinks to prevent things from going down the drains that can cause clogs.
About Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc.
Jim Wagner Plumbing, Inc. is a local plumbing, heating, and air conditioning company serving Lombard and the surrounding areas. They provide upfront pricing, on-time service, and after-hours emergency services. Call them today for sewer line services in Lombard, IL.
