Why You Should Never Delay Sewer Line Cleaning With Older Plumbing

Sewer clogs inevitably top any list of potentially damaging sewer events. While a burst pipe can cause substantial water damage, a backed-up sewer line can allow raw wastewater to return to your home. Not only will this leave you with a mess of water damage, but it can also lead to a serious health hazard requiring costly clean-up. 

The longer you wait to address sewer issues, the more likely a clog will cause sewage to back up and return to your home. Unfortunately, delaying a necessary sewer line cleaning in a home with older plumbing can have even more disastrous consequences.

How Do Clogs Affect Sewer Lines?

Small clogs in your home's drain pipes are only superficially similar to major sewer line clogs. While both obstructions often have similar causes, the methods used to correct them can vary substantially. A clog in a nearby drain line or p-trap is often repairable using only tools such as plumbing augers or simply disassembling the p-trap.

More importantly, these clogs are unlikely to damage your plumbing. With a sewer line obstruction, the pressure pushing against the clog can often be much stronger. This excess pressure can potentially cause damage to the sewer line, leading to leaks or even breakages. At a minimum, the blockage will stop waste from draining anywhere in your house, inevitably leading to a wastewater backup.

Why Are Clogs Riskier With Older Plumbing?

Sewer lines often go neglected, even in homes with updated interior plumbing. While accessing pipes behind walls or in ceilings can be challenging, reaching buried sewer lines is often far more costly and complicated. The disruption and cost of digging up old sewer lines mean that most homeowners leave them in place until they finally fail.

If your home has old or original sewer lines, they likely already have corrosion, deterioration, or small leaks. These issues may not become major problems for many years, but a clog can increase the pressure in the pipe and potentially lead to premature failure. The longer you wait to address a sewer clog, the greater the chance the problem will become more severe.

What Makes Professional Sewer Cleaning So Important?

Clearing a clog from an old or deteriorated sewer line can pose numerous challenges. The wrong techniques or equipment can damage the pipe, leading to leaks or collapse. A professional sewer line cleaning company will have the equipment to inspect the pipe, determine its condition, and formulate a plan to clear the blockage without causing damage to the sewer line.

Since most homeowner tools won't be sufficient to clear deep sewer line clogs, working with an experienced plumber is nearly always the best approach. A professional will get your drains moving freely again while protecting your home's aging sewer lines from further damage and helping you avoid a costly sewer line replacement.

To find out more, contact a company like Drains By James Inc.