What are the common causes of a sewer backup?

Water Pipes

When you flush the toilet, do you notice a strange gurgling sound coming from the plumbing? Maybe the toilet bowl is slow to drain, or even worse backs up completely and floods your bathroom floor!

A sewer backup – when water doesn’t drain from your home into the sewer line – is caused by a blockage somewhere in your pipes. Minor blockages may be able to be cleared using a plunger, however, if the problem is severe you’ll need professional sewer cleaning in Chicago provided by an expert plumber.

These are some of the causes of sewer backup:

  • A clogged toilet

Plumbers tell their clients repeatedly that the only things that should be flushed down a toilet are body waste and toilet paper. Yet people continue to flush all kinds of things down the toilet that they want to dispose of quickly – toddlers tend to do the same thing with their toys. Any foreign object that goes down the toilet has the potential to cause a blockage, especially items such as tampons that are highly absorbent and swell when immersed in water for a long time.

If a toilet is backing up, and the blockage is in the s-bend behind the toilet there is a good chance you will be able to clear it using a plunger. If this doesn’t work, it’s probably because the blockage is located further along in the pipes, or because it is exceptionally large and tough. In either case, if your toilet is on the verge of flooding, a Chicago emergency plumber such as Almighty Plumbing can help you out.

  • Poor catch basin maintenance

Proper catch basin maintenance is vital to the health of your plumbing. Your catch basin ‘catches’ any large floating debris from your home’s water run-off. A blocked catch basin that has not been cleared will prevent the flow of water from your home into the sewer line. A catch basin that is damaged will allow large pieces of debris into the sewer line, which are sure to cause a blockage in your pipes – resulting in sewer line backup.

  • Tree roots

Trees seek out water sources with their roots and your sewer pipes provide an ample source of water that also happens to be rich in nutrients. If your sewer line is backed up and you have ruled out minor blockages, a plumber will need to inspect your pipes to determine if they have been penetrated by tree roots. Not only can tree roots cause huge blockages, but they can also crack or burst the pipes, which is an even bigger problem than sewer line backup. The solution is to hire an experienced plumber who can provide sewer rodding in Chicago.

Contact Almighty Plumbing today on 773-992-1587 and let us take care of all your plumbing needs. Every sewer rodding or jetting comes with a free camera inspection valued at $250 so take advantage of this offer. Finance available.

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