If you were ever looking for a part of your home that embodies the idea of “out of sight, out of mind”, your sewer line would be a strong contender. It’s understandable, really. There’s not much need to consider it as long as it’s working properly. A dysfunctional sewer line, on the other hand, can be the stuff of nightmares for a homeowner. But why might it be having problems in the first place?
Tree Roots
Trees can be a fantastic addition to any property. They offer shade, shelter from the wind, and can look beautiful without requiring much maintenance. Even with all the good they do, they can still cause a problem. Tree roots function to provide water and nutrients to the tree they belong to, both of which can be found in ample supply in your sewer line. Once they invade, they can create troublesome blockages in addition to the damage done to the pipes themselves.
Blockages
Tree roots aren’t the only source of blockages in your sewer line. A blockage may actually be caused by you, even if it’s unintentional. Take your toilet, for example. Plenty of things say they’re flushable, but that doesn’t mean you should flush them down the toilet. As it turns out, being flushable simply means that it’ll go down the toilet. It doesn’t mean that it will dissolve the way toilet paper does. Only human waste and toilet paper should ever be flushed down the toilet. Beyond that, oil, fats, and grease cause nasty blockages and should never be sent down your drain.
Structural Problems
In order for your sewer line to function properly, it needs to be structurally sound. If there are cracks, breaks, or ruptures along with the piping, it’s not going to work properly. This prevents sewage from draining properly and results in backups in a short fashion. Corroded pipes or pipes that are sagging cause similar problems, as will pipes that aren’t properly aligned. This can easily happen if there’s shifting in the soil, heavy equipment that travels overhead, or even simply as a matter of time passing.
At the end of the day, your home’s plumbing simply cannot continue to function as it should if the sewer line is having issues. Some reasons for the problem may be easy to control, while others are not. Regardless, being aware of things that could cause a problem for your sewer line can help you be prepared in the event that something goes wrong.
Sewer backups lead to multiple issues, including mold growth. If you suspect you might have a mold problem, have professional mold testing done on your home.
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