Wondering how to prevent sewage backup in your home? Here are the main causes of sewage buildup and ways to prevent it!
The sound of running water is considered to be incredibly soothing to the soul. However, that very sound can be horrifying when you know that it is coming due to the dirty sewage water flowing into your basement! A sewage backup happens when sewage water begins to flow into your home rather than heading out of it.
It can be pretty disastrous to deal with as it often leads to extensive water damage. It also poses a high risk of disease or infection as it contains bacteria, microorganisms, and human waste. This is why you must know if the various causes of sewage backup and ways in which you can effectively prevent it from happening in your home.
Causes of a Sewage Backup
Here are some common causes of sewage backup:
Tree Roots
Believe it or not, tree roots are a pretty common cause of sewer backups. Small tree roots enter the cracks and joints in sewer lines and as they grow, they clog up the lines and cause significant damage.
Blocked Sanitary Main
The sanitary main is your city’s underground network of pipes that accumulate and get rid of the sewage from the buildings in the city. A clogged city main can easily lead the sewage backup into your home via the toilets and floor drains.
Collapsed Sewer Lines
Sewer lines can collapse due to aging and rundown pipes. Older pipes can crack or break and lead to sewage backup.
Clogged Lateral Sewer Line
Your sewer line can get clogged when you flush items that you are not supposed to flush down the drain such as paper towels or tampons. Cooking oil, excessive hair, etc., also cause the line to get clogged.
Ways to Prevent a Sewage Backup
Here are some ways in which you can prevent sewage from backing up into your home and damaging it in the process:
- Make sure that you don’t throw things in your toilet that are not meant to be thrown in the toilet. A toilet is meant to only flush human waste and toilet paper. Don’t try to flush items such as wipes, diapers, facial tissues, paper towels, cigarette butts, tampons, sanitary pads, etc., down your toilet.
- Take extra care to not throw materials that can easily clog your drain down the sink such as grease. So, don’t get rid of coffee grinds, food waste, or bacon fat by dumping it in your sink to go down the drain as it can easily clog your pipes and cause sewage backup.
- Invest in a backwater or backflow valve, which will prevent sewage from flowing into your basement in the vent the main sewer system backs up. It will ensure that the water from your sinks, toilets, and bathtubs flows out of your home.
- Always seal any cracks that you find in the foundation of your house and waterproof your basement. This includes either raising or removing plumbing fixtures in your basement including sinks, toilets, and washing machines. Invest in a sump pump for your basement so that you can easily pump out any excess water.
- Instead of your existing sewer line, use new plastic piping to avoid any damage caused by bush and tree roots.
Sewage backup can be pretty difficult and potentially costly to deal with and it’s better to contact a professional service company to deal with it as quickly and effectively as possible.
