A sewer backing up or overflowing sewer can be a frustrating plumbing problem for any home. While the smell is one thing, the filthy and contaminated water making it inside the home can be an equally disgusting situation. There could be several reasons your sewer is backing up or overflowing. Unfortunately, in most cases, homeowners are not aware of how to handle the situation and it can cause significant water damage. Depending on the circumstances, you may or may not be able to fix it while waiting for help. But if the problem happens to be in the main sewerage lines, you will need to contact the relevant authorities apart from consulting a plumbing company and a water damage restoration service. So, let’s take a look at how you can handle an overflowing sewer like a pro.
Understanding Sewer Systems
Before you can get down to fixing your overflowing sewer, you must understand the network and system first. The reason is when homeowners come across sewer-related complications, they do not know where to look and end up wasting considerable time and effort on fixing a problem that wasn’t even there.
Your home’s plumbing system is connected to the sewer system that collects the wastewater as soon as you use the flush or wash something down the sink. The sewerage system contains manholes, pumping stations, and underground pipes that send the wastewater to the sewage treatment plants.
Having reached the plants, the water is treated first and then they let it go. Your home is connected to the public sewage system via pipes underground, usually underneath the basement or garage. From those pipes, the wastewater either goes to your septic tank or the city sewerage system.
As the public sewage network is connected to your home’s sewage system, an overflowing system can become a health hazard for your house. It can contaminate the water and result in serious health concerns.
Signs Of An Overflowing Sewage
A sewage backup or overflowing sewage is a situation where your home’s wastewater can’t drain to the septic tank or sewerage because of clogs or blockage somewhere in the sewer lines. Due to this, the waste water goes back and start backing up from various drains and toilets.
The first sign you will observe in case of an overflowing sewer is a bad smell. Initially, you might come across the smell in one or two rooms but if you notice that it is increasing, it means the sewer is blocked and needs to be dealt with immediately.
Plus, if you observe that the water is flowing very slowly and struggling to drain, it means there is most probably a blockage in the main drain line. At the same time, if you notice a bad odor coming from the water while taking a shower, it means the water is contaminated.
In worst-case scenarios, you will come across wet floor and drains in the laundry room or basement. These are usually the first areas that show signs of overflowing sewage. In such a situation, you will need to hire a professional right away as it will destroy and affect almost everything in the room.
Finally, if you observe that your grass or plants are dying or changing color all of a sudden and the lawn seems to be wet all the time, it means there is a leakage. Then again, you will need to get it checked as soon as possible. Moreover, you will also be concerned about mold growth so consider mold remediation Potomac.
Common Causes Of Sewer Backup
While we have discussed the concept around sewage networks, let us now shift our attention to the common causes causing sewer backup.
Blocked Or Clogged Pipes
Just like drain pipes in your house that could become clogged due to grease, hair, and soap buildup, your main sewer lines can also get clogged up due to a variety of reasons. With time, the overgrown trees can also grow and the roots can pass through the pipes puncturing them.
This happens to be one of the most common reasons for sewer backup. Believe it or not, a single blocked drain line can cause plumbing issues in your home. But if there happens to be a blockage in the main sewer line, it will cause sewage to back up in multiple areas. To fix the issue, you will need to contact an expert.
Tree Roots
One of the most common reasons for sewage backup or overflowing sewage is tree roots. As trees and shrubs grow, their roots can penetrate through the sewer lines as mentioned previously. The reason is that tree roots are always in search of moisture and water. So, they will penetrate through each and every single one to get to the water source.
This problem tends to be a common issue in old homes with clay piping. The roots can grow and easily penetrate through the clay pipes and cause blockage. Even if there is no tree in your backyard, the trees in your neighbors can still penetrate the sewer lines connected to your house.
To prevent this issue, you need to make sure and even request the neighbors to trim down the trees and stop them from overgrowing.
Damaged Sewer Pipes
The movement of the earth is inevitable and due to this, the sewer lines can get damaged. Regions that tend to face earthquakes experience frequent sewage issues. When the earth moves, it can cause cracks and damage to the sewerage lines. In worst-case scenarios, the contaminated water can end up inside your house without any warning.
While you cannot do much to prevent earth movements, you can keep an eye out for unusual signs. If something seems odd, you will need to perform a close inspection and consult a professional. If there is a damaged sewer line, you will need to replace it.
Downpours
Public sewage systems are designed to handle large amounts of wastewater, but when it comes to heavy rainfalls in the case of thunderstorms and typhoons etc. sewage systems tend to become clogged. This could also cause sewage backup in your house.
So, if there has been flooding recently, do not be surprised if the sewage system is backed up in your house. It will take time for the sewage system to return to normal and handle the excessive amounts of water.
Older Sewer System
Sewer systems like power lines and other networks tend to experience wear and tear with time as well. The fact is that older sewage systems comprise cast iron and clay piping. Even though these materials are durable, they will eventually crack, corrode and crumble.
Then again, you cannot do much to prevent such things from happening. In fact, even homes with PVC piping can experience problems as they get older. So, you might want to consider replacing the pipes if they are not repairable.
Conclusion
Overflowing sewage can both be easy and difficult to deal with. If there is a blockage in one or two pipes, you can fix it if you have the tools and skills. But if there happens to be a problem with the main sewage line, you will need to get it unblocked by a professional. At the same time, you should also watch out for signs instead of waiting for them to turn worse. This can help you prevent a lot of water damage. Moreover, consider calling in mold removal Gaithersburg experts to get rid of mold grown due to the water damage.
