Spring is one of the best times of the year, with the cold winter weather finally behind us and all the trees and flowers starting to bloom. But with spring come increased rainfall and occasional downpours. While all the extra water is great for your lawn and garden, it can pose a threat to your sewer line and potentially lead to a nasty sewage backup inside your house. Not only is cleaning up sewage extremely unpleasant and potentially hazardous to your health, but a major backup can cause extensive damage to your house and lead to indoor mold growth.
How Heavy Rains Can Cause Backups and Other Sewer Issues
Heavy spring rains can lead to your home’s sewer line backing up in a few different ways. Most cities have separate systems for handling stormwater and sewage. Nonetheless, stormwater often still gets into the municipal sewer system through manhole covers and cracks in pipes. During a major storm, the stormwater can quickly overwhelm parts of the city sewer system. This can result in the municipal sewer main out in the street becoming so full that the wastewater starts flowing backward and up through a house’s sewer line. When that happens, the line quickly starts backing up, causing sewage to come up out of some of the house’s floor drains and shower drains.
This issue is especially common in places like San Antonio that are prone to flash flooding. Many neighborhoods in the area have aging sewer lines that are vulnerable to cracks, shifting and pressure from heavy spring rains. The only sure way to avoid a backup is to have a plumber install a backflow valve on your sewer line. The valve is basically a flap that can close to block off the sewer line near the house. Under normal conditions, wastewater flows over the valve. When stormwater causes backflow, the incoming water pushes against the valve so that it closes and blocks off the pipe.
When rainfall soaks deep into the ground, it puts extra pressure on a house’s sewer line. This can result in water getting inside the line through gaps in the pipe fittings or any cracks or holes in the pipe. If you take a shower, do the dishes or run your washing machine, the line can get overwhelmed and start backing up. Older homes with aging sewer lines are especially at risk of this happening.
The excess pressure from the wet soil expanding can also lead to a sewer line shifting and potentially cracking or breaking. Even a small crack can trap waste that eventually causes the line to become clogged. Soil settling can cause the line to develop a belly that traps waste.
Tree root intrusion is another concern. When the spring rains arrive and trees start coming back to life, their roots quickly start growing out and spreading in search of moisture and nutrients. As the roots grow, they can invade the sewer line through tiny gaps or cracks. The wastewater flowing through the line nourishes the roots, causing them to quickly grow much bigger and start taking over. Toilet paper, food scraps and solid waste then get trapped in the roots, causing a major blockage that eventually leads to constant sewage backups. As the roots grow bigger, they can also crack or break the line.
How Hydro Jetting and Camera Inspections Help Prevent Sewer Backups
Grease, sludge and debris always build up within your sewer line over time. This buildup eventually starts choking off the line so that wastewater drains away more slowly, increasing the chances of it backing up during periods of heavy water usage or from heavy rains. The buildup can also trap solid waste, toilet paper and food scraps, leading to a clog.
Pouring fat, oil and grease down the drain greatly increases the chances of sewer backups, as these substances cling to the inside of the pipe and create a sticky coating that traps other particles. You should also make sure that everyone in your household knows never to flush anything but human waste and toilet paper. Items like paper towels, cotton pads, sanitary products and wipes often stick inside the sewer line and eventually create a major blockage. Although many companies sell wipes they label as “flushable,” these products should still go in the trash and never in the toilet.
The best way to avoid backups from grease and debris buildup is to have a plumbing company hydro jet your sewer line once or twice a year. Hydro jetting uses powerful jets of water to scour the inside of the pipe and blast away grease, fat and sludge. It also breaks up blockages and washes them out of the pipe. The jets are strong enough to cut through tree roots and wash them away.
Scheduling yearly or twice-yearly camera inspections is also important for avoiding backups and other sewer issues. Plumbing companies have special fiber-optic cameras that allow them to view the sewer line from the inside and check for issues like debris buildup, blockages, tree root intrusion, cracks and holes. Experienced plumbers can usually repair minor sewer line damage without needing to perform extensive excavation that disturbs much of the landscaping, driveway and sidewalk. If you don’t catch problems early on and have them fixed, they will only get worse and likely force you to pay for a full sewer line replacement.
How to Spot the Signs of Sewer Issues
Sewer backups can just suddenly occur, especially when an area receives a significant amount of rain in a short time. Nonetheless, if your sewer line is partially obstructed or damaged, you’ll usually start to see certain issues that indicate it may soon back up. The main signs to watch out for are all your drains suddenly being slower than normal and making gurgling sounds when the water goes down them. Another common issue you can encounter is toilets needing more than one flush to make all the waste go down.
Smelling sewage inside or outside of your house is an especially big concern. If you smell sewage inside your house, it usually indicates that your sewer line is starting to back up or that your drain and sewer system aren’t properly ventilated. A sewage smell outside the house is typically a sign of sewer line damage and leaking. Other signs of sewer line leaks include unusual pools of standing water in the yard or a patch of grass that grows faster and looks greener than the rest of the lawn. If you see any of these signs, you need to immediately schedule a camera inspection.
Get Trusted Help When You Need It
When you need an experienced and reliable plumber in the San Antonio area, Rosenberg Plumbing & Air is the name to trust. We offer expert drain cleaning and sewer repair services and will promptly and properly fix whatever isn’t working right.
For dependable assistance overcoming any drain and sewer issues in your home, contact our team at Rosenberg Plumbing & Air today.
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