Storm Season and Sewer Backups
Short answer: when heavy storms soak the ground, cracked sewer laterals let water in and city lines can run full. Low drains are the first place sewage shows up. Keep the line in good repair and consider a backwater valve.
Request a plumberWhy rain matters
Groundwater gets into broken joints and fills the line, and roots grow faster in wet soil.
Low drains first
Floor drains, showers and tubs at the lowest level back up before toilets do.
Clean the cleanout
Make sure the outdoor cleanout cap is in place and not buried.
Backwater valves
A backwater valve lets water leave the house but stops it from flowing back in.
Gutters and downspouts
Send roof water away from the house rather than into drains or the sewer line.
After a backup
Stop using water, keep children and pets away and call a plumber and your insurer.
Cleanup
Sewage cleanup should be thorough; porous items that got soaked usually have to go.
Camera check
Once things dry, a camera inspection shows whether the line is damaged.
Know your cleanout
Find the outdoor cleanout before storm season. In a backup, a plumber can often relieve the line there without coming inside.
Next
See sewer line repair.
More plumbing guides
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