Five Common Reasons Sewage Backs Up | Insight from Your Trusted Timberlane, LA Plumber
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Sewage backing up is every homeowner’s worst nightmare. It’s a smelly, dirty mess that can be quite expensive to fix. And, if not dealt with properly, sewage back up can cause damage to floors, furniture, and cause mold growth. Unfortunately, sewage back up is a common problem and one that requires the services of professional plumbers. If you suspect your home may be in jeopardy, check out our list of the five most common reasons why sewage backs up. We also touch on how to tell if you have a sewage back up problem and what steps you should take to fix it.
Clogged Drains
Clogged drains are one of the most common reasons why sewage backs up in a home. Your pipes can become clogged with grease, food, hair, dirt, and small objects. All of these collect to create a blockage in your drain. That blockage can slow down or prevent the flow of wastewater through your plumbing system, causing it to come back up. Plumbers are experts at unclogging drains thoroughly, to an extent you can never do on your own.
Cracked Sewer Lines
A sewer line can crack or break due to dirt settling, wear and tear from age, tree roots, external damage, and rocks and dirt entering the pipes. This then creates a blockage in the line that can cause sewage to back up into your home.
Detecting and repairing a broken sewer line can be quite tricky. Plumbers have to determine how many cracks there are, where they’re located, and then fix them. Do not attempt to repair broken sewer lines by yourself. You will need to hire a plumbing service to inspect if your sewer line has been cracked and for the repair work.
Broken and Collapsed Sewer Lines
When a sewer line completely breaks or collapses, it will cause wastewater to stop flowing to where it needs to go. This can then cause the sewage to run off into the dirt, or more commonly, stay in the line and begin to backup. Similar to cracked sewer lines, a broken or collapsed sewer line is a difficult job. You will need a plumbing service to fix the break and install new pipes.
Tree Roots
Tree roots naturally gravitate towards a water source and nutrients, including the nutrients that sewer lines can seep into the dirt. If your sewer lines have even the smallest cracks, tree roots can start to grow through these cracks slowly. This is usually a problem that advances over time, without people noticing at first. But eventually, the tree roots will open the sewer line cracks up enough to create a blockage, which then results in a backup.
If you have trees on your property that are close to sewer lines, have plumbers inspect the pipes on an annual basis. This will give you peace of mind that nothing is wrong or allow you to catch problems early on before they turn into expensive messes.
Issues with the City’s Sewage System
When your municipality’s sewer line is unable to take in wastewater from your home’s sewer line, it can result in a backup. This typically occurs when the city’s sewer systems are overwhelmed with runoff water from a heavy rainfall.
If it’s the city’s fault that your home had a sewage backup, they may be responsible for covering the costs. But that doesn’t mean you should sort that out before getting the problem fixed. Use the services of certified plumbers only. That way, if the city does cover the cost, you have a legitimate invoice to provide. If the municipality accepts the expense, it will likely only cover services from professional, certified plumbers.
How Do I Know If I Have a Sewage Backup?
If you can smell or see sewage coming up from any of your drains, you likely have a sewage backup issue and need to call a plumbing service immediately. Some other common signs of a sewage backup are:
- Drains or toilets that are bubbling or gurgling.
- Sewage backups in the basement when you use water in other areas of your home.
- Or, if you don’t have a basement, backups in the first-floor fixtures when you use water in other areas of your home
- Clogs in multiple drains. The drains on the lowest floor of your home will be most susceptible to clogging simultaneously.
- Plumbing fixtures are experiencing backups that are different from their intended use. For example, flushing the toilet causes a backup in your shower.
Even if you don’t see all these signs but suspect a sewage pipeline issue, it’s better to be safe and call a professional. You should trust your instincts. Consulting with a plumber will give you peace of mind that your house is in top shape.
What to Do if I Experience a Sewage Backup in my Home?
If you suspect a sewage backup in your house, call a plumbing service immediately. Even if it’s in the middle of the night, most plumbing companies offer 24/7 emergency plumbing services. You want to get the problem fixed as soon as possible. Sewage carries a lot of diseases, and it can infect yourself or your family members. Additionally, the quicker you get the problem resolved; the less damage will be done to your home.
Find a plumber that is certified, trained, and experienced in sewage repairs.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain in Timberlane, LA
For anyone in the Timberlane, LA area, bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of New Orleans, LA is the top choice for plumbing help. bluefrog is a national franchise, and its New Orleans franchise has been providing the community with exceptional service for years. We’ve been rated in the top ten plumbing companies in the Timberlane, LA area. All of the plumbers at bluefrog are certified, trained, and experienced in what they do.
bluefrog Plumbing + Drain offers services in:
- Water heaters
- Clogged drains
- Sewer lines
- Faucets and sinks
- Tankless water heaters
- Leak detection
- Leak repair
- Gas leak repair
We work with both residential and commercial clients and we are available 24/7 for your emergency plumbing needs. Call us today and book an appointment to handle your sewage back up problem.
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