The sewer line is a large diameter pipe that carries all of the waste water and sewage away from your home. This includes not only the water and waste from flushing your toilets, but also any water that goes down the drain from showers, washing dishes, clothes washing, and so on. If your home is connected to a municipal sewer system then your sewer line runs between your home and the municipal sewer line. If you have a septic system, the sewer line is routed from your home to the septic tank.
No matter which type of system you have, clogs can form inside of sewer lines and when they do, you’ll have a serious problem on your hands. A clogged sewer line means that none of your toilets and drains will work properly and can even cause waste water containing raw sewage to back up into your drains.
Knowing what causes sewer line backups can help you avoid these problems. Tree roots are one of the main causes of sewer line clogs. Tiny tree roots can infiltrate the sewer line at the joints and get larger over time. Soon, there is a mat of tree roots inside the sewer line that collect grease, oil, hair, and other debris and cause a clog.
Even without tree root infiltration, as your sewer line ages it begins to collect grease, oils, and other residue along the walls of the pipe. Hair, coffee grounds, eggshells, and other debris accumulate in the greasy build up and the inside of the pipe will get narrower. Eventually, a foreign object such as a paper towel, diaper, or other material will lodge in the greasy buildup and a clog will quickly form behind it.
Clearing a clogged sewer line is a job for the professionals. Your plumber or sewer-septic contractor can clear a clogged sewer line using a professional powered plumbing auger or high pressure hydro-jetting. They can also identify the cause and help prevent future clogs.
