- A collapsed sewer line is an expensive repair that requires partial or complete replacement of the residential sewer line. Earthquakes, earth settling, construction or heavy trucks and equipment can all compress or shift the sewer line enough to cause a collapse. If the sewer line does collapse, raw sewage drains into the surrounding soil. Signs of a potential collapse include slow draining of sewage in the home, water backups during a rainstorm, and backups despite repeated snaking of the drains.
- Tree roots are responsible for many sewer backup problems. Tree roots cause backups in two ways: Once they grow into the sewer line, they form a fibrous net which traps grease, toilet paper, hair and other debris; or, they collapse the sewer line by increasing inner pressure within the sewer line. Symptoms of tree root-related problems in the sewer line include slowing-draining water from the household drains.
- Fat, oil, grease and grit (FOGG) are common causes of water backup. Like cholesterol in the heart's arteries, over time FOGG coats and narrows the opening in the sewer line. Annual cleaning of your sewer line by a professional plumber can prevent a complete clog, but prevention is the best solution. PainintheDrain.com, an informational website put out by the Clark County Water Reclamation District in Las Vegas, Nevada, cautions homeowners to never dispose of fat, oil or grease down the drain. Any fatty deposit solidifies and not only affects residential sewer lines but also coats and restricts municipal sewer lines.
- Household flooding that occurred during Hurricane Irene in the northeast region of the U.S. occurred because storm runoff overloaded the municipal sewer system. When this system backs up, water will inevitably back up into your home. In regions where summer storms dump high volumes of rain in a short period, water can inundate the main sewer and cause a backup. When this occurs, runoff backs up into the sewer lateral and then into the house.
previous post