The first reason you have underground or hidden drainpipes or a septic tank system in your home is so you won’t have to deal with the unpleasant sight and smell of waste materials from the house. The second reason is that minimizing contact between the home’s occupants and the waste generated from the house keeps the home sanitary and prevents diseases, explains NC Property Group.
But all that ends when sewage starts flowing from the drain system into your bathtub. This problem easily ranks as one of the grossest plumbing issues you ever have to deal with in the home. Quite naturally, you would want to correct the situation as quickly as possible. But you also don’t want to apply a quick fix solution that fails to identify the real issues.
To make sure the problem doesn’t occur again, you should understand its root causes. This will not only help you find the most comprehensive solution, but you will also learn how you and your family members may be contributing to the problem.
When you start to smell or see sewage flowing into your bathtub, what are the remote and immediate causes of the problem?
WHY IS SEWAGE COMING UP FROM YOUR BATHTUB?
Firstly, you must understand the interconnectedness of the sink, shower, toilet, and bathtub drains in your home. Although each one collects waste from different parts of the home, they all link up at some point inside the drain system. A problem in one part of the drain system can manifest or trigger issues in an apparently unconnected part of the network.
The smooth operation of the sewer line depends on pipes being kept free of blockages at all times. If for any reason the line is blocked, its contents will not be able to pass through and waste will start building up until the pipes are filled. As more waste is added, the content of those pipes, having nowhere to go, will find an outlet inside the home. And that outlet could be your bathtub.
Things that are likely to block the drainpipes and force sewage to flow backward into your bathtub include:
Hair
As unlikely as it sounds, this is one of the biggest causes of sewer blockages. Hair takes a very long time to break down and once it gets into the drain it can catch on the sides of pipes or around bends and stay there. Over time more hair collects at the point and they serve as a net to trap debris. In the long run, enough debris can collect around a ball of hair to block the drain.
Grease and soap scum
Grease is one of the worst things you can flush down a drain. That is because it lines the sides of pipes to create a slick coating. This coating can continue to build up until the diameter of the pipe is significantly narrowed. Grease also combines with soap scum and other debris to form sludge which can become a big enough problem to block the drain line.
Pieces of food
Starchy food like potatoes and rice can block the sewer line if they are allowed to get into the drain. Once inside the pipes, rice will absorb water, swell and settle along the pipes. Due to the sticky nature of potatoes, it will adhere to the sides of pipes and trap other debris. Eggshells and coffee grounds are two other things that should never be allowed to enter the drain.
Unflushable objects
Baby wipes, jewelry, floss, female sanitary products, pieces of soap, toilet scrubbers, and small toys are just a few of the items that will block the sewer line if they get into the drain. Even personal care products labeled “flushable” have been found to block sewer lines. To avoid sewer line blockage, the only thing that should go into the toilet drain is waste and water.
Natural causes
Sewer lines may also get blocked from natural causes. Tree roots, in a bid to reach the nutrient-rich water flowing through the sewer line, can penetrate the sides of the pipe. Usually, this only happens when the pipe already has a small leak. A tree root can also grow around the line and dislodge it. Rodents may burrow into the ground around a pipe and damage it.
Earth movements
If the soil around a sewer line settles or rises, it will affect the position of the line. These movements can create dips along the line where the pipe’s content starts to accumulate. Over time, the problem can get serious enough to eventually block the line.
What do you do when you find sewage flowing up the sewer line into your bathtub? This is not one of those problems you can solve with a plunger. A plunger is only good for removing blockages close to the opening of the drain. If you smell sewage every time you use the bathtub, don’t wait until you actually see it, get a professional plumber to look at the problem.
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