Do you know when your sewer will back up in North Georgia?

Your plumbing system is made up of two parts, water supply and wastewater discharge. Gray or wastewater gets swept away without further thought. The one time you have to think about it is when your sewer line backs up.

Sewers backup for several reasons, the most common being:

• Tree roots intruding into the sewer lines. This is quite common in older homes with mature trees on the property.

• Pipes get thin in places over time. When the earth settles below the pipe, you can get dips or bellies in the line causing a clog or a break.

• Human behavior is the leading cause of sewer backup. Food scraps, feminine products, grease, hair and all sorts of debris gets poured down the drain or flushed down the toilet. Over time, this debris gets caught in the bellies or dips or hung up on ridges in the pipes or tree roots. This will cause a clog which causes the backup.

What are the warning signs for sewer backups?

• Gurgling toilets and slow running drains are commonly the first signs that a clog is developing.

• Flush different toilets in different areas and well as letting a sink full of water go down a drain in different sinks to see whether or not it could be isolated to one area of the home. If they all run slow or gurgle, then it’s most likely your main sewer line.

• If you suspect a clog, you should go outside to see if there is a clean out pipe. It’s usually a 4-inch wide white pipe with a cap on it. Removing the cap will release some of the pressure and will give the wastewater somewhere else to go instead of your shower or floor drain. Better to have the sewage outside than inside. If there’s visible water in the pipe, that is another indication of your main line being clogged. All homes do not contain clean outs.

You should call a professional to inspect the lines and do the necessary clean out and/or repairs. If you can, shut off the water going into the home until the professional gets there. Make sure to tell your drain cleaning expert if you use chemicals in your drains. This is to protect both you and them. They may use a line camera to inspect the problem.

If you are experiencing sewage backup problems in North Georgia, GA, then call R1 of North Georgia.