Preventing And Handling A Sewer Back Up Problem

If you live in an area where the water you use in your home is diverted into a sewer system, you will want to do whatever necessary to prevent the material in the sewer from backing up and getting into your basement. When your location experiences high levels of precipitation or snow melt, there is a risk of a sewer backup due to increased water getting into the main sewer system. There are several steps you can take within your household to help keep this unfortunate event from occurring at all. Here are some ways to prevent a sewer backup and what to do should one occur.

Check Your Sump Pump

Make sure you have a working sump pump in your basement to handle any flooding that may occur from excessive rainfall or flooding which could in turn cause a sewer backup. A sump pump will pump the water out of your basement to an area outdoors at a lower level than your foundation. This piece of equipment should be routinely checked to make sure it is working properly.

Be Aware And Prepared

Keep on top of your area's weather forecast so you will be aware when there is going to be a lot of precipitation falling or when the weather is going to warm up to melt snow or ice that may be on the ground in large quantities. This will remind you to check on your sump pump in case water starts to back up. 

Add A Prevention System

If you have experienced several municipal sewer backups in the past, you may want to consider having a sewer backup prevention system installed on your property. With the help of a licensed waterproofing contractor or plumber, you can have small valves installed in your main sewer line which will stop backups from going any further when water builds in abundance. These valves will close off the main sewer line, stopping the sewage from seeping into your home. They will reopen when water levels are back at a normal level.

Know How To React

If the sewer starts to back up, make sure no one continues to use the water supply in any way as it will add to the amount of water you already have present. Try using your sump pump to divert water out of your basement. If the water continues to fill, it is most likely a problem in the entire system which is affecting your whole town, and not just your own home.

Turn off your electricity in your basement until you are able to get water levels to go back down. Do not touch the contaminated water. Call your local sewer service to see if they are experiencing problems and call your local health department to help you pump the waste safely. If the sewer service indicates that the problem is limited to your own home, you can call a plumber or sewer service, like Jaguar Water & Sewer Services Ltd sewage, to remove clogs from your piping.

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