Part of being a homeowner is understanding that, no matter how much care you put into your home, things can go wrong. Because sewer lines are underground, they are out of sight and often out of mind. It is very difficult to foresee problems, which makes it extremely important to know what to watch for to prevent potential disasters or costly repairs, replacements, and plumbing services. As a preventative measure, we recommend sewer line maintenance once every year-and-a-half to two years by a professional sewer expert.
Typical Causes of Sewer Backups
There are many reasons your sewer may back up, but three tend to be the most common. Regular inspection and cleaning can usually help minimize or avoid these sewer blockages altogether.
A sewer backup may be caused by:
- Roots intrusions
When you think of a sewer backup, the first cause that usually comes to mind is root intrusions. Once a root breaches your sewer line, it can grow inside the pipe until it fills and, worse, breaks the line entirely. A camera sewer inspection can help determine whether or not you should be worried about roots intruding on your sewer line. - Bellies in Pipes
A “belly” refers to a sagging pipe. This type of problem generally starts with loose, eroding soil around the pipe. This instability can cause the sewer line to sink and sag. Over time, waste can build up in the sagging area of the pipe, which can eventually turn into a complete blockage. Video inspections allow our sewer experts know what type of repair or cleaning is needed. - Grease Buildup in Pipes
You should always avoid putting any sort of grease down your pipes; it is a sewer line’s worst enemy. Too many homeowners don’t think twice about pouring used cooking grease down their kitchen sink drain, but as the grease cools it becomes solid, which will eventually cause major blockages in the pipes. Hydro jetting is generally required for this type of sewer cleanout.
Harts Services is here to help you! We provide affordable open trench sewer repair and trenchless sewer repair services for more serious issues. If the cause of your sewer blockage is more severe, we may need to pump 4,000 PSI of water through your sewer lines with hydro jet sewer cleaning services. Call us for more information or to request an estimate for a professional sewer cleanout.
We are proud to be the leading sewer line maintenance service in Tacoma, WA, and the surrounding area, including:
- Gig Harbor, WA
- Olympia, WA
- Steilacoom, WA
- Bremerton, WA
- University Place, WA
- Federal Way, WA
- Puyallup, WA