5 Common Causes of Sewage Damage
Sewage damage can be devastating to the people living or working in a building as well as the structural integrity of the building. This is because water that is normally transmitted through sewage pipes is usually filthy runoff water that is contaminated with bacteria, parasites, and unimaginable pathogens that are characteristic of raw sewage.
When water does not flow out of your house like it is supposed to, and instead backs right up into the house through the outlets it’s supposed to go through then you have a case of sewage damage. Sewage damage is characterized by clogging in the toilet, overflowing of septic tanks outside of the house and clogging drains in the bathroom.
Needless to say, overfslowing water from drains can cause immeasurable damage to property that includes items that may be on the floor as well as structural components of the home such as wooden floors and cardboard walls. In addition, overflowing contaminated water poses a health risk to the people living in that house.
Some of the most common causes of this kind of damage include:
- Blockage in the pipeline
Blockages within the pipes that deliver sewage into the main city sewage system is one of the most common causes of sewage damage. Blockages result from dumping of solid materials in the pipes where they likely to get stuck and prevent proper flow of runoff water. The only way to prevent this from happening is to dispose of garbage correctly as opposed to flushing everything down the drain.
- Structural problems within the sewage line
This includes but is not limited to misaligned pipes, broken pipes and faulty seals. Such issues compromise sewage lines and can cause an overflow and back up in the system. Sewage pipes are also prone to wear and tear and can therefore become faulty after a period of time. Conducting a thorough inspection of the sewer lines periodically is the only sure way to ensure that damage does not occur.
- Extreme weather events
Extreme natural events such as raging storms and heavy rains can also cause sewage systems to rupture and flood. This is because heavy flooding applies excessive pressure on the sewage system causing it to overflow and back up. Having some high-performance valves as a backup for the regular valves can be used to prevent backing up.
- Surge in city sewer lines
On certain occasions a backup of sewage water into the home is caused by a surge within the city sewer lines into which all sewer lines from individual homes drain. This back up often affects feeder sewer lines that are in the lower openings of the line causing multiple homes linked to these lines to back up and overflow. If your neighbors are having flooding issues as well, this may be the cause of your flood.
- Overgrown tree roots
Trees that grow near sewer lines can cause trouble for these pipes when they overgrow. This they do by breaking or cracking the pipes as they grow or infiltrating the pipes at the joints before growing into the pipes themselves. Constant inspection of the sewer lines also helps to prevent this from happening.
Professional Assistance
Due to the unsanitary nature of the overflowing water resulting from sewage damage, it is highly advisable to seek help from professionals to help you clean out the damage in your home. This is because as professionals, they are well equipped to remove the overflow by fixing the damaged sewage line and leaving your home properly sanitized and habitable again.
Allied Restoration Co. offers fast and safe sewage clean up services that ensure that the structural damage to your house is minimized and the raw sewage is properly contained before it spreads too far. We are available to help with your sewage problem 24/7– just give us a call!