UNDERSTANDING SEWER BACK-UPS IN YOUR HOME

If you have ever had a sewer back-up in your home, then you know the expense, frustration and damage it can do. By understanding more about the problem, you can hopefully avoid it in your home.

“Sanitary sewers flow by gravity so they generally follow the natural slope of the ground. The sewer mains that the city owns and maintains are generally from eight to fifteen feet deep, with some much deeper. Sanitary sewer back-ups can be caused by a number of factors. They usually involve sewer pipe blockages in either the city’s main sewer lines or in the private sewer services line which the property owner owns and maintains.”

Facts about Sewer Back-Ups: You won’t be able to tell on your own what is causing the sewer back-up, so it is a good idea to contact a professional plumber as soon as the problem occurs. In the meantime, though, there are some things you can do to lessen the damage to your home.

WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF SEWER BACK-UP

The first thing you should do is close all drains and do what you can to plug up sinks, tubs and drains. With toilet, you can push a string mop down into the openings. In sinks, close the drains. The pressure behind sewage back-ups can actually damage the fragile ceramic in sinks, tubs and toilets.

Next, do not run any water down your drains, even if sewage has come up in the sinks. You may be tempted to rinse everything out, but you don’t need to add any water to an already backing up system.

Finally, ask around the neighborhood. If your neighbors are experiencing backups as well, then the problem is likely in the city owned sections of the sewer. You will need to contact the city. However, if only your home is experiencing a problem, the back-up could be on your property.

AFTER YOU CALL THE PLUMBER

Of course, your first phone call will be to a plumber. They will be able to determine where the sewer backup is and what needs to be done to solve the problem. Once they have removed any blockages and made sure the drains are working properly, you will also likely need to call a cleanup company. Sewage that has backed up in your home doesn’t just cause flooding. It can also leave behind bacteria that are very dangerous for your health. A professional cleanup company will be able to make sure your home is safe again.

Sewer back-ups can be a big problem for you, your home and your family. It can do extensive damage to your home and can even pose health risks. However, if you act quickly when sewage does cause a problem, you should be able to handle the issue properly. Be sure to block as much sewage as you can from backing up into sinks, toilets and baths. Then, contact a plumber as soon as you can to get the back-up cleared as soon as possible.