Define: Drain Backup
What is a Drain Backup?
A drain backup (AKA sewer backup) occurs when water rises up and out of a drain. It is often caused by a blockage in the sewer lateral or drain stack that prevents water from draining properly out of your drain system. As a result, wastewater will alternatively rise from the lowest available drain in your home since it is the water’s path of least resistance.
Sewer backups can also occur when sewage rises up from the public sewer system. This can occur during excessive rain, spring thawing, or issues disrupting drainage within the public sewer system.
If you find a drain backing up in your home, you should contact a reputable drain cleaning company! John The Plumber is the drain cleaning company Nepean has trusted since 2006 to handle drain backups and drain and sewer cleaning and repair. Big or small, we’ll fix your plumbing issues in no time!
What causes drain backups?
A drain or sewer backup is often caused by a blockage somewhere in your drain system. The blockage could be anything that went down the drain but shouldn’t have, like butt wipes, tampons, diapers, cat litter, lego, cooking grease, coffee grounds, wet wipes, and more.
While unflushable objects are usually the culprit, there are many exceptions!
If your sewer line has cracked, collapsed, or been infiltrated by tree roots, you may experience a sewage backup. If you’re noticing sewer backups frequently, your sewer must be inspected with a sewer camera by a professional plumber.
One other situation that may result in a sewer backup is an issue with the municipal sewer lines. If a public sewer system becomes overwhelmed by excessive rain or melting snow or suffers from damaged sewer pipes or other issues, the sewage and wastewater may not be able to drain properly. Since water takes the path of least resistance, the sewage and wastewater will go wherever it’s pushed. This often results in a sewer backup from your basement floor drain!
