Sewage backup can come out of nowhere, damaging your home and costing a fortune for repairs. If you have been noticing your sewer lines backing up more easily over time, there may be underlying issues that are important to take care of immediately. Before your backed-up drains can cause more damage, get in touch with a professional plumbing service that can identify and fix the problem before it’s too late. Here are a few reasons as to why your sewer keeps backing up.
Clogged Drains
It is perfectly normal to clog a kitchen or bathroom drain every once in a while. However, reoccurring clogs can be a sure tell sign that something is wrong with your sewer pipes. Clumps of hair, “flushable” bathroom wipes, and even leftover foods can become caked to the walls of your sewer pipes, restricting the flow of water that can get through.
While grocery store chemicals like Drano are great temporary substitutes, you may need a professional to permanently removed clogged debris from your sewers.
Broken or Damaged Sewer Line
Many times, broken or damaged sewer lines are not the fault of homeowners, but of mother nature. Tree roots growing around these pipes are common for causing for sewage backup in your home – as the roots gain nutrients from the water and thrive in such an enclosed environment. Unable for homeowners to notice, these roots can eventually clog the sewer pipes so much that they must be replaced and sometimes, relocated.
Old Age
The average lifespan of a sewer pipe is around 30 years. After decades of waste being washed through these pipes, sewage will slowly start to backup into your home simply due to the wear of the material.
In other instances, sewer pipes made of iron or clay are more susceptible to wear and tear than modern PVC pipes made of plastics. If you are buying a new home, make sure to ask about the last time the pipes were installed or updated to get a better idea of when they will need to be replaced again.
Oils and Grease
A sure-fire way to decrease the lifespan of your sewer pipes is pouring oils and grease down the drain. Even though these liquids seem harmless after cleaning them off of a pot or pan after dinner, over time, the oil and grease will harden and eventually cake the sides of your sewer pipes, making it easier for sewage to back up in your home.
Many people do not realize the harmful effects grease and oil have against plumbing so stopping sooner than later can help prevent future damage and costs in replacing your sewer pipes.
