Prevent and Repair Toilet Backups to Restore Comfort and Safety
If a toilet backs up, it’s essential to quickly repair it to restore drainage and safety to the house and avoid water damage and other problems. Having sewage in the home can be dangerous, so it’s essential to call a local plumber to address the issue and make the required repairs promptly. This post will explain what can cause toilets to back up, ways for plumbers to repair backed-up toilets, and how homeowners can help prevent them from happening again.
Reasons a Toilet Keeps Backing Up
If a household has a toilet that backs up or keeps backing up, homeowners might wonder what causes this to happen. The reality is numerous things can cause it. When property owners call a plumber to inspect and fix the issue, they will check the sewer line to determine the cause. Some common problems plumbers encounter with sewer lines that can cause a sewage backup are:
- Clogged sewer lines from debris like food, grease, and more
- Tree roots that have grown into the pipes
- Collapsed sewer lines caused by deterioration, corrosion, or other reasons
- Sagging or bellied sewer lines from drastic temperature changes, tree roots, or more
- Otherwise, severely damaged or crushed pipes
Ways to Fix a Backed-up Toilet
When a toilet backs up, homeowners must call a plumber as soon as possible. When they arrive, technicians have a variety of inspection and repair methods at their disposal to repair the backup, depending on its underlying cause. Plumbers can perform a sewer video inspection to find the cause of the issue and determine where it is located to better understand the best way to repair it.
After performing a sewer video inspection to identify and locate the defect, the plumber will determine the best method to repair the backed-up toilet. For sewer line clogs, plumbers might start with a drain snake to try to remove the blockage. When a sewer line has a large stubborn blockage, plumbers may opt for a more powerful drain cleaning option like hydro jetting.
If the sewer line is damaged, plumbers will need to fix the issue through traditional sewer line repair or replacement or trenchless sewer line repair or replacement options. Trenchless repair allows severe excavation and digging to be avoided, which preserves the property, but it may not be an option if the sewer line damage is too severe.
Ways to Avoid Backed-up Toilets
Backed-up toilets can be problematic for households. Fortunately, there are some ways homeowners can help avoid them. Plumbers suggest doing the following:
- Avoid flushing anything other than waste and toilet paper down the toilet. This includes wipes, feminine hygiene products, cotton balls, dental floss, and other items.
- Never pour grease or cooking oil down the drains, and avoid putting food down the drains.
- Get a plumber to remove clogs before they cause a backup.
- Put a screen over the drains to prevent hair, soap scum, and other items from going down the drains.
- Book routine plumbing maintenance services with a plumber.
- Prevent tree roots from growing into the sewer lines.
About Plumb Perfect Plumbing
Plumb Perfect Plumbing has more than 20 years of plumbing experience serving the Culpeper area. They offer affordable flat-rate prices, highly trained plumbers, and neat and tidy service. Call them for plumbing services in Culpeper, VA.
