The Main Reasons for Sewer Clogs and Replacement Options | Plumbers in Sugar Land
February 14, 2019
All the plumbing pipes, drains, and fixtures in a home are interconnected to the most important and biggest piece of plumbing known as the main sewer line. Between the improper usage of pipes and drains and plumbing fixtures, plumbers in Sugar Land have found that the main sewer line tends to take quite a beating.
When this happens, the main sewer line will be eventually become clogged and may even collapse. In both these cases, plumbers in Sugar Land will recommend that you need serious repairs or even expensive replacements. Talk about wiping your bank account clean!
For these specific reasons, the plumbers in Sugar Land wish for homeowners to know what the main causes of clogs in sewer lines are and what can prevent these problems. By knowing this beforehand, you wouldn’t really have to deal with major replacements and repairs.
Common Causes of Clogged Sewer Lines According to Plumbers in Sugar Land
Almost all the homeowners out there have to run into unfortunate situations that involve slow-running sinks or bathtubs along with clogged drains. While single clogs can be a real pain, they are typically quite a simple fix.
Even though you don’t need plumbers in Sugar Land for one drain clog, what do you think will happen if all the drains in your home clogged all at once? With that picture, now imagine what would happen if all of these clogged drains started backing up altogether.
Now that we’ve got your attention, our plumbers in Sugar Land would like to introduce you to some primary indicators that you need a replacement or repair procedure in your home. Here they are:
1. Severe Pipe Damages
When your sewer pipes are ruptured or broken, the sewage will definitely not drain effectively through your system. This will then lead to frequent and immediate backups. Common causes of these occurring include:
- Leaking joints where your pipe’s seals in-between sections have broken down. This will then allow for the water and sewage in your pipes to escape.
- Corrosion damages of older pipes which cause them to collapse or break.
- Sewer pipes rupturing due to the shifting of soil. This usually occurs due to increased levels of traffic on the ground above the pipes, or the use of heavy construction equipment here.
2. Sagging Sewer Lines
Plumbers in Sugar Land would like to tell every homeowner that this is quite out of their control and these problems occur after a period of time. These pipes form somewhat of a ‘belly’ and this usually occurs in sections that have sunk due to the conditions of the soil or ground.
These low spots in your lines begin to collect waste and paper which also leads to increased and repetitive blockages.
3. Infiltration of Tree Roots
Old types of sewer lines used to be made out of clay or some other types of porous materials. In addition to this, these connections between these old pipes weren’t as pipe as opposed to the PVC pipes that are being used nowadays.
That said, plumbers in Sugar Land would like to tell you that as the shrubs and roots of trees grow, they dig deeper in search of water and materials. When this happens, nothing can stop them from growing into pipes in order to reach the water source. As these roots expand even more over time, they will actually cause for your main sewage lines to break.
4. Flushing Debris Down Your Toilet
For the sake of the health of your plumbing system, it is very important for homeowners to know that everything cannot be flushed down the toilet. The plumbers in Sugar Land have found that when homeowners treat their toilets like trashcans, then their main sewer lines suffer quite a lot. This is why it is always recommended that homeowners should only flush down toilet papers and human waste.
5. Pouring Grease Down the Toilet
Oil, fats, and grease are among the biggest culprits that are known to clog lines. This is why plumbers in Sugar Land will tell you that it is never a great idea to pour oil, grease or any other kinds of fats down your drain.
When you wish to get rid of any of these, then you should pour them in a jar or a coffee can. Once you find that they have solidified, you can go ahead and get rid of them. There are also some homeowners out there who believe that running hot water over grease will help wash it away. This is completely a myth because once the grease cools off again, it will stick to the sewer line again.
Sewer Line Replacement and Repair Options
While some maintenance and drain cleaning tasks can be done by homeowners on their own, sewer line replacement and repairs need to be left to the professionals. They will be able to provide the appropriate solutions according to your needs. Their services will include:
1. Video Inspection
With the help of in-line video cameras, plumbers in Sugar Land will be able to see exactly where the problem lies in your pipes. Once they are determined, they will be able to decide the appropriate sewer line repairs.
2. Traditional Repairs or Replacements
Traditional methods are typically carried out by digging up areas surrounding the main sewer line – which then allows access to the area causing the problem. Once repairs have been made the backhoe is used to fill up the area again. This option, of course, will completely depend on the configuration and condition of your pipes and the area you live in.
3. Trenchless Sewer Line Repair Methods
Trenchless repairs are done by plumbers in Sugar Land by making small holes for access to the start and end of a pipe. After doing this, a new pipe is pulled through the old one.
Benjamin Franklin Plumbing® of Rosenberg Can Help You with Your Sewer Clogs
Go ahead and call us at (281) 869-3955 or visit our website to find out more about our service. Trust us; you won’t regret it!