Common Sewer Problems

A few days ago I was talking with a friend who was telling me she had plumbing problems. Everything was backing up into the commode and the bathtub was slow to drain. Naturally the first thing I thought of was a clog.

A clog in the main sewer line going out from the house can cause the commodes to back up. There are different things that can cause a clog in the main sewer line. Sometimes a sewer line will get clogged if too much paper is flushed. The water will sometimes outrun the solids and the solids will lie there waiting for the next flush. Sometimes they are lodged in and the next flush does not push them out. Now the sewer drain is clogged.

Usually when this happens a good plunger will take care of the problem.

A collapsed sewer line is a major problem. and is not easily fixed. One must have to locate where the collapsed line is and replace it. Most people will call someone to come and dig the line up for them. Unless your line is buried deep in the ground, it is something a person can do on their own. It will require some hard work but is not impossible for a person who is determined to save some money. Calling out a licensed plumber can be expensive.

Tree roots can grow around a pipe and crush it if the pipe is a thinwall pipe. They can also grow into a sewer line causing a clog. This can cause headaches and much hair pulling trying to figure out. The roots must be cut out of the line or the line replaced to get it back in proper working order.

The tree whose roots are causing the problems could be a neighbor's tree. The tree on the other side of the alley might be the one clogging your lines. It is best to get a professional plumber out to take care of problems like this one. There is also maintenance a person can do to keep this from happening. Roebic has a product out called Septic and Sewer Root Killer. it can be used to kill roots that invade your sewer lines.

Septic tanks are generally not used in cities or towns with public water and sewer services. they are used in rural areas where water and sewage services are not used. There is a tank that holds everything that comes from the drains of a house. Sometimes this tank will get full of solids and can no longer work properly. When this happens, it must be cleaned out. Call a plumber who specializes in septic systems to come and pump it out. It will cost quite a bit of money to have this done but it is the only way.

Leech beds are a part of private septic systems. The way they work is fairly simple to understand. As fluids and solids come into the septic tank, fluids go out the low end of the tank into the leech bed. If the leech bed is working properly, the fluids will disperse underground and evaporate. If the leech bed is not working properly, the fluids can come to the top of the ground causing a nauseating odor.