Several occurrences can cause sewer-related problems in the home. It is very important to be aware of these possibilities, as they can lead to serious issues if undiagnosed. Read on to learn more.
Potential Problems
Clogs that lie at the main line going out of the house can lead to toilets backing up. Sewer lines can collapse, creating a project too big to be taken on without help. Stray tree roots can also cause plumbing problems, as they intrude through joints in the system or through ruptured piping. Aged pipes and their seals can even crack, corrode, or collapse on their own. Those who live in more rural areas may have septic tanks. These have their own common issues such as becoming too full of solids, or problems with the leech bed. Furthermore, heavy rains can bring to the surface issues that have been buried underground for some time.
What Did I Do?
Misinformed use of one’s home plumbing is a common cause for several typical blockages. Flushing or dumping many substances, including paper products, grease, or larger objects like food, can cause immediate or long-term issues. Grease build-up can block not only your household plumbing but the public sewer system as well, as sewers lines become coated with solidified grease and develop a reduced capacity to convey wastewater. This cumulative effect can easily go unnoticed until it is too late. Note that if you experience a backup in a single sink or tub and the other facilities in the home are draining properly, it’s likely that the one drain in question is blocked and the main sewer lateral is fine.
Damaged sewers can cause a few highly unpleasant effects, including sewage backing up into the home through toilets or tubs, and intense smells becoming evident in yards or public outdoor areas. Unfortunately, possible damage in the pipes and sewer lines in your home can often be difficult or impossible to see without going behind walls and into other hard-to reach places, so be sure to schedule checkups and maintenance as regularly as recommended by your plumber. If not detected early, blocked sewer pipes can cause the release of untreated sewage onto the streets, thus creating an environmental and public health issue.
Professional Plumbers Prevail!
Please be sure to find a plumber that you trust. Sewer repair is a tricky business with real safety and health concerns involved. Professional plumbers have the qualifications and training to anticipate problems and undertake difficult investigations and fixes with the proper care. They also have coverage in case of unforeseen issues, and can take care of them much more quickly and efficiently than untrained individuals.
