One of the worst nightmares of any homeowner is a sewer backup. When sewer backups occur, waste gets pushed backwards across your sewer line and back into your home through the basement drains, bathtub drains, and toilets.
Aside from the potential damage that it can cause your home, sewer backups may also bring serious health risks due to the hazardous contaminants that may be present in the sewage water. So in this article, we will explain the common causes of sewer backups and share some simple tips on how to prevent them.
Most Common Causes of Sewer Backups
There are different causes of sewer backups in the main sewer line or the lines within your home. Some of these include:
- Blockages - One of the most common causes of blockages in the sewer line is tree roots. Even if you don’t have trees in your property, tree roots can extend from your neighbor’s yard and cause this problem. Tree roots may create holes, cracks, or crush your sewer line.
- Clogs - When objects get caught in your sewer line, clogs will occur. It could be large objects accidentally flushed down the toilet, or an accumulation of solid material that the pipes could not handle.
- Broken Sewer Lines - Old homes have cast iron, cement, or clay pipes, which naturally break down over time. With this, it is recommended to use plastic sewer pipes to prevent deterioration that may cause backups.
How to Prevent Sewer Backups
If you want to spare yourself from the headaches of sewer backups, follow these simple prevention tips:
- Don’t pour grease down your drain. Contrary to common belief, hot water is not enough to rinse the grease down. If you do it too often, grease will cool, solidify, and block your drain when they accumulate. You should also avoid pouring coffee grounds, bits of food, and other solid items that are not water-soluble.
- Avoid flushing out feminine hygiene products, paper towels, and flushable wipes that don’t disintegrate quickly.
- Install a backflow prevention valve to allow sewage to exit your home and prevent sewer backups. However, this can only prevent those originating from the main line.
- Replace old sewer lines with high quality plastic pipes. This is a more expensive solution, but it is totally worth it. Plastic sewer pipes can provide long-term sewer backup prevention because they don’t break down over time and can’t be easily destroyed by tree roots.
Professional Plumbers to Prevent Sewer Backup
We know how frustrating it is to have a sewer that keeps backing up and understand that you’re not trained to resolve such issues. If you have this problem, get in touch with the experts at Rebel Refrigeration right away so we can handle it for you.
As plumbing experts, we can identify the root cause of the problem and provide a long-term fix. Whether you need emergency plumbing and sewer line repairs, drain cleaning, or other maintenance measures, you can count on our team to help! Get in touch with us today to get a free inspection. Give us a call at (702) 766-9436 or contact us here.