Sewer backups during heavy rain are more than just an annoyance. They are a threat to your property and your household’s health. Often, stormwater gets into sewer systems, causing them to overflow with untreated sewage, which results in major damage to homes and leads to dangerous bacteria invading living spaces. Cleanup is not only costly but is also very dangerous. Many times, you can prevent sewer backups during rain with some precautions and preventative maintenance.
1. Regular Sewer Line Inspections and Maintenance
Routine inspections and cleaning of your home’s sewer lines help to prevent backups when it rains. This is because sewer lines fill with debris, tree roots, or other blockages, so water and waste don’t flow freely. The force exerted by stormwaters may cause these kinds of pipes to crack and misalign, creating weak spots in the conduits.
Cleanouts on an annual or bi-annual basis become necessary if you want to make sure that the sewer lines for your home work as well as possible. A sewer line inspection can uncover early signs of wear that make the pipe susceptible to failing. Regular maintenance also helps identify this type of issue as soon as possible, so you can combat sewer backups when the heavy rains come.
2. Installation of Backwater Valves
Backwater valves are useful when you need protection from sewer backup during heavy rainfalls. When a municipal system is overwhelmed and the sewers start to overflow, these valves allow for wastewater to only exit your home and not come back in through the drainage system if it becomes full.
During heavy rain, if there is a reverse flow of sewage, a backwater valve is like a one-way gate, which only allows waste to flow one way, so there is a much lower chance that your home will flood with sewage. Once you have a backwater valve installed, it’s important to have it inspected during annual maintenance, so you have peace of mind that it’s going to work during an emergency.
3. Proper Disposal of Grease and Non-Flushable Items
Another solution to sewer backups, when there are heavy amounts of rain, is to be mindful of what goes down the drains in your home. The most common way sewer lines clog is through inappropriate disposal of household waste like greases and oils. Consequently, these substances build up in the drainage system of your home. They solidify in the pipes and start to constrict the flow of water. This can be prevented by disposing of grease in a container that resists heat, such as a metal coffee can, and throwing it away once it’s solid and cool.
Other culprits commonly found flushed down toilets are paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and flushable wipes. None of these products biodegrade in a sewer system, so they can cause major blockages that result in backups during a storm. It is important to educate your household on what goes into a toilet, sink, and garbage disposal, and what does not. Using screens on your drains in sinks, showers, and bathtubs also helps greatly with keeping your drains clear.
4. Disconnect Downspouts From the Sewer System
If you know that the sewer systems overflow in your area when there are heavy rains, disconnecting downspouts from the sewer system outside of your home may help keep it from getting overwhelmed. You can collect the rainwater to use on your property later by installing rain barrels. Doing this also helps manage erosion on your property.
When disconnecting downspouts, make sure that the water doesn’t flow toward your home’s foundation and that the downspout is at least 6 feet from the home so that it doesn’t allow water to pool around the home.
5. Upgrade Old Sewer Lines
If you have an older home, one of the quickest ways to give yourself peace of mind when it comes to your home’s sewer line backing up is to replace it. Aging sewer lines are one of the biggest causes of backups, particularly during heavy rains. Many older homes have sewer lines made of materials like clay or cast iron, which are prone to cracking that is caused by tree roots and movements of the ground around the line.
The risk of backups decreases when upgrading to materials like PVC because they are less likely to have major root intrusions and cracking. PVC also has a much smoother interior wall, which allows waste to flow through it with ease. While upgrading your sewer line is an investment, more often than not, it turns out cheaper in the long run if you have to spare the expense of cleaning up damage from repeated backups.
6. Install a Sump Pump With a Battery Backup
Sump pumps prove to be critical in preventing basement flooding. Sump pumps help when there are heavy rains and the water tables go up quickly. A sump pump works by taking any water that collects in your home’s sump basin and pumping it outside of your home and away from the foundation to avert damage. This way, the water doesn’t pool in the basement or cause damage to your home’s foundation. Consider a sump pump with battery backup and have it tested regularly so that it still works if the power goes out in your home because of a heavy rain storm.
7. Remove Tree Roots in Your Home’s Sewer Lines
One of the most common reasons for the backflow of sewage during a storm is a blockage in your home’s sewer pipe. Most of the time, these major blockages happen because of tree roots infiltrating them and causing major clogs or breaks in the line. If the system is under pressure from heavy rains from a storm, you may notice sewage starting to back up into your home because it doesn’t flow well out of your sewer line.
It’s essential to have inspections annually to ensure that there aren’t tree roots growing into the sewer line of your home. Our team at Goettl's High Desert Mechanical can clear sewer lines with hydrojetting and repair pipes when needed, so the infiltration of tree roots isn’t a major problem any longer.
8. Have a Cleanout Installed
If your home doesn’t have a cleanout drain, installing one can help with sewer line backups during a heavy rain storm. A cleanout drain is an access point to your home’s main sewer line. You can locate it outside of a home. It looks like a capped pipe sticking up out of the ground about 3 to 6 inches.
Having one is a great way to maintain the good operation of your home drainage system as it allows for quick access to the sewer line when needed. If you have a sewer line emergency, one of our technicians can use the cleanout drain to get to the source of the problem much easier.
At Goettl's High Desert Mechanical in Camp Verde, Arizona, we provide drain clogs, repiping, and sewer repair services for homes in the area. Our friendly team also provides cooling, heating, and water filter services. Contact Goettl's High Desert Mechanical for more information today about our plumbing services!
