The Most Common Causes of Sewer Backups

No one likes it when their sewer backs up! After all, a sewer backup can cause major problems at home. At the very least, it disrupts your schedule and takes away from your peace of mind.

You can help avoid a sewer line backup if you know what causes these issues. This information can also help you understand what is going on if your main sewer line is already having a problem.

Clogs

Your sewer line can get clogged just like your pipes can, though it usually requires more waste or debris to clog a sewer line than it does a pipe, simply because sewer lines usually have a larger diameter than your other pipes.

You’ll know its a sewer backup when more than one drain is clogged in your house or when you have odd draining problems (like your bathtub fills with water every time your washer drains!).

Avoid these clogs by:

• Limiting what you put down the toilet.
• Using common sense when it comes to putting things down the garbage disposal.
• Not putting grease or oil down the drain.

Broken or Collapsed Sewer Lines

If you have an older home with a clay or cast iron main sewer line, then your backup could be caused by a broken or collapsed sewer lines. Age causes these materials to deteriorate and, eventually, they will break.

It is much less common to have a broken or collapsed line with the new plastic or PVC pipes. They do not deteriorate nearly as quickly and so homes that have them installed have fewer sewer problems overall.

Tree Roots

Tree roots can cause a couple of problems with your sewer line, both of which can end up with sewer backups in your home. Tree roots can grow into your sewer line, causing a major clog. They can also grow around the line and, eventually, crush a section of it.

The tree doesn’t have to be right over the line. In fact, it may not even be in your yard. Most trees have root systems just as extensive as their branch systems. Just because you don’t have a tree doesn’t eliminate this from the list of culprits for your sewer problem.

If you’re experiencing a sewer line backup, call us at Rowell’s Services ASAP. Don’t let these problems wait because they only get worse. Call us for help with your sewer services today!