What Causes a Sewer Back Up?

8/26/2022 (Permalink)

Sewer backups are nasty things to deal with!

One of the common homeowner insurance claims are sewer backups. This ends up being a nasty, messy catastrophe in your home, but what is the cause of it? There are multitude of reasons why you could experience a sewage backup, but here are a couple of the most common.

Clogged Drains

Clogged drains are one of the most common reasons for a sewer backup. Improper use of toilets and sinks can cause a main sewer line to become clogged. Flushing cleaning wipes, diapers, napkins, and many other hygiene items can cause a sewer line to become clogged over time. Sewer lines are filled with a volatile combination of hair, soap, and dirty water. Adding things such as grease or excess kitchen waste can clog the drain and lead to a sewer backup. 

Tree Roots

Sewer lines often run under front lawns and nearby tree roots can grow into and around the pipes. Trees have expansive root systems and even if the pipe itself is not near a tree, the roots can spread out and around the pipe. 

Once a tree root has grown into a sewer line, the line will need to be replaced and often times the tree roots removed or trimmed down. This will be a big project involving digging into the ground and replacing the existing sewer lines.