A sewer back up is one of the most stressful home repairs that cannot be put off. When you have a sudden home repair, do you know where to get the emergency cash for the repairs? Getting a title loan can help you cover the initial costs but let’s talk about the kinds of repairs you might encounter to determine how much funding you will need.
The first thing you need to do if you think your sewer is backed up is determine where the clog is in your plumbing system. If only a single drain seems to be affected, it could just be a clog in that drain. However, if you see any of the following signs, experts recommend having your sewer checked as soon as possible:
- Water gurgling out of your shower or tub drain when you flush the toilet
- Water in your toilet percolating or bubbling when you use the sink
- Water overflow in other drains when you use your washing machine
- Flooding of the water drain in the basement
Once you’ve determined it’s likely a sewer backup, rather than just a drain clog, you can check your sewer clean out line to get a more-precise idea of where the clog is.
What’s a sewer clean out line?
It’s a small pipe with a rubber cap in your yard near your house. After you take the cap off, if there is water in the pipe, that means the clog is probably in the municipal line, you should call them immediately. If you don’t put the cap back on, excess sewage will escape through the hole instead of backing up into your house.
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If there is no sewage visible in the cleanout line, then the backup is closer to your house, meaning it’s your problem. If sewage hasn’t backed up yet, you should have a professional come out.
How does a professional fix a sewer backup?
If it’s likely that your sewer is clogged, the first thing a professional should do is snake or auger the line. This should fix any clogs in the line. If it doesn’t, they may recommend sending a camera down the line to look for problems.
What are the major causes of sewer backups?
There are two major causes of sewer backups:
- Tree roots
- Feminine hygiene products, paper towel, and thicker toilet paper
If your clog is a result of the second, your problem should be solved once the pipe has been snaked. You may have to modify your habits to keep it from happening again. If the problem is a tree root, there are a few different ways to remove it.
- Mechanical removal – with an auger or a pressure hose
- Chemical removal – by pouring certain chemicals down your drain
You should consult a professional when deciding which method to use. If the tree root has crushed your pipe, a whole new section will need to be installed.
How do I cleanup a sewer backup?
If you don’t catch your clog in time and your sewer has backs up, things will get expensive. It can cost as little as $150 to have your pipes snaked. It can cost thousands to repair damage caused by sewage.
The first thing you need to do when cleaning up sewage is turn off electricity if the water might pose an electrocution hazard. Next, make sure any children and pets are kept far away from affected areas. Also, don’t flush your toilet or use and drains in the house.
Some of the cleanup you can perform yourself. Make sure you have proper safety equipment to avoid the many diseases, parasites, and other harmful microbes that sewage can carry. At a minimum you’ll need rubber gloves, rubber boots, and a protective mask. Before you begin, get as much light in the room as possible and open any windows you can, this will slow down mold growth. Don’t run central heating or air. Any air circulation system running through the affected area will need to be decontaminated, which can be expensive.
Remove any sewage-contaminated items. Ideally, you’ll store them in a sewage-contaminated area, to avoid increasing the affected area. If you can’t do that, try to store the items on a concrete floor. Furniture, rugs, carpet, etc. will almost certainly need to be discarded. It may be possible to have area rugs professionally cleaned, but carpet is a total loss.
For anything other than a small backup, it will be necessary to enlist the aid of a professional. They will be familiar with all the risks and safety measures necessary to restore your house to its pre-backup condition.
Throughout the whole process it’s important to remember the dangers of contamination. Anything that comes into contact with sewage or sewage water vapor will need to be cleaned. This includes safety equipment, wet-dry shop vacuums, HVAC systems, etc.
When in need of additional funding to pay for a sewer backup, a car title loan may be a favorable option. Car title loans from LoanMart can be a great way to get essential funding without all the hassles that can come with traditional lenders.
One of the best things about car title loans from LoanMart is that they are fast and efficient. You could even receive your car title loan funding as soon as the next business day3!
Check out our application and see how you may be able to get fast cash today1!
How do I prevent my sewer from backing up?
You can do a couple things to keep a sewage backup from occurring:
- Fill all the sinks in your house and let them drain once a month – increasing the pressure in the pipes will help free stuck debris.
- Point downspouts away from the house
- Install flood-guards and water alarms – These will help keep water from backing up, and will sound if water is where it shouldn’t be.
- Update your house with modern pipes – Some parts of the country still have small clay pipes in their sewer systems. This are not as sturdy as newer, wider pipes.
- Be careful of what you flush – Your toilet was only designed certain products, don’t put other things down it.
- Mind what you put in your sink – Pouring grease or other large quantities of things down your garbage disposal can cause clogs.
Keep in mind that any potential clean up after is also something you might need to add to your repair budget. Prevention is always best when it comes to home repairs. If you ever need quick cash, for a quick fix, call us and see how much you may be able to get with a car title loan, with LoanMart1.
