 | Tommy Steven is the President of Reddi Industries of Wichita. He manages the service departments of Reddi Root'r, M.K. Plumbing, Derby Plumbing and Andover Plumbing. He manages and works with both journeyman plumbers and licensed drain cleaners. He has been involved in the plumbing industry through the family business for over fifteen years, and has been the General Manager of Reddi Industries for the last six years. Mr. Steven regularly attends trade conventions and seminars to keep abreast of the latest technology in his field. You may call him at (316) 681-3382, or e-mail tommy@wichitausa.com |
Plumbing
2005-02-01 11:24:00
How to prevent a sewer back-up
ANSWER: The back-up of sewage through the drains in your home or business is an unpleasant prospect. Fortunately, there are some things you can do to prevent this from happening to your property. But first, let's go through an easy lesson in some basic plumbing. Wastewater flows through small sewer lines on your property out to the larger public lines in the rear utility easement or the front street easement. From there the sewage travels by gravity or pressure to a sewage treatment facility. The stream is constant, with peaks in the morning and evening. Each day millions of gallons of wastewater safely reach your wastewater treatment facility to be treated, reclaimed, and returned to the environment. Unfortunately, a blockage in any of the sewer lines can interfere with this normally quiet, out-of-sight process. A blockage in the private or public lines can cause a back-up through floor drains and toilets at the lowest point in your home or business. The overflow will continue until the blockage is removed or until sewage is no longer entering the line. Regular maintenance of this area of your home can help prevent blockages. Customer information is available to help customers understand what can safely be disposed of down the drain. But if an overflow happens, you should immediately discontinue putting water and other material down the drains. Sewers get stopped up from a variety of things being put down the drains which should not have been disposed of that way in the first place. For example, kitchen grease, disposable diapers and sanitary napkins can accumulate and cause a blockage if you attempt to flush them down the drain or stools. Tree roots and grass seeking moisture can grow through cracks in the lines, causing a blockage. Vandals have even stopped up lines by putting bricks, wood, oil filters and even Christmas trees into manholes. Illegal hookups allow excess water into the lines. Outside stairwell drains, sump pumps, roof leaders, and drain gutters should never be connected to the sewer system. A sewer system is designed to carry a predetermined amount of sewage. Rain water not only overloads the system, but also raises the cost of the treatment process. Prevention? Don't plant trees near your sewer lines, because invariably the roots will find their way to your sewer lines and penetrate them. Also, do not connect your sump pump to the sanitary sewer system.Locate and keep accessible the sewer cleanout in your front or rear yard. If you do not have a cleanout, have one installed by a licensed plumber. The cleanout installation is the property owner's responsibility. Check your homeowner's insurance policy. If you are not covered for back-ups, call your agent for information on costs and coverage options. If you experience a back-up, save all receipts related to any repair, cleaning or damages for proof of loss in the event you're covered. The mess from a sewage backup is never pleasant, and it might make some sense to have your sewer lines put on a low cost maintenance program with your local sewer cleanout experts. Most companies who have been in business for any length of time offer maintenance plans for sewers as well as plumbing systems. Waiting until you see the backed up mess all over your floors is never desirable. Coming home from vacation to find that your tired old water pipe joints have popped loose while you were gone and filled your basement up with water can pretty much ruin your day…More next month…
