Sewer Backups in Older Olympia Neighborhoods

Clay and cast iron pipes have joints and cracks where roots enter. Lines sag and collect debris.

Firs, maples and other large trees send roots into joints. Roots catch paper and grease.

In very heavy rain, systems can be overloaded and push water back toward homes in low spots.

Grease hardens; wipes do not break up. Both build blockages.

Gurgling drains, slow drains across the house, water rising in a tub when a toilet flushes.

A drain contractor can scope the line to show roots, sags and cracks.

A valve installed by a certified plumber stops sewage flowing back in.

Stop all water use and call. See sewage backup cleanup.

Sewer backup often needs an endorsement.

If several homes back up at once, report it to the City of Olympia.

Only toilet paper and waste belong in a toilet. Wipes, paper towels, cotton swabs and feminine products build blockages, especially in older lines with rough joints and roots.

Wipe greasy pans with a paper towel before washing, use a sink strainer and keep a lidded can for grease. These habits keep the kitchen line clear for years.

Before buying an older house on the Eastside, South Capitol or Westside, ask for a sewer camera inspection. It costs little compared with replacing a line.

Damaged lines can sometimes be lined from inside, avoiding digging up the yard. Other times a section must be replaced. A drain contractor can explain options after a camera look.

Know where your sewer cleanout is, usually a capped pipe near the foundation. It lets a contractor clear the line quickly and see whether the blockage is inside or toward the street.

Keep valuables and papers off the floor in rooms with low drains, so a backup does less damage.

Stop all water use, keep people and pets away and call. Contaminated porous materials are removed, hard surfaces sanitized and the area dried.

If several homes on your street back up at once, or water rises from a street manhole, the problem may be in the public main. Report it to the City right away.

A sink strainer, a grease can, a trash bin in every bathroom and a yearly look at the cleanout cost almost nothing and prevent most backups.

If roots return after cleaning, the joint they enter through needs repair, by lining or replacing that section. Repeated cleaning costs more over time.

If you have a finished basement or valuables low in the house, ask your agent about a water backup endorsement. It is often inexpensive.

Clay pipe was common in older neighborhoods and has joints every few feet where roots can enter. Cast iron lasts long but can corrode and crack inside. Modern plastic has fewer joints. A camera inspection tells you which you have and its condition.

In very heavy rain, some older systems take in extra water through cracks and connections, and lines can run full. If your basement drain backs up only in big storms, mention that to the drain contractor.

When planting new trees, keep them well away from the sewer line between the house and the street. Roots follow water and find even small cracks.

A drain contractor clears the line; a restoration provider cleans and dries the damage. Calling both quickly keeps the cleanup small.

Several slow drains, gurgling toilets and a sewer smell are the warnings to act on. Call a drain contractor before the line fully blocks, because clearing a slow line is much cheaper than cleaning up after sewage has come up through a floor drain.

Know the numbers for a drain contractor and a cleanup provider before you ever need them.

After cleanup, ask the drain contractor to run a camera through the line to confirm it is clear and to look for roots, sags or breaks that could cause the next backup. Fixing the cause is far cheaper than repeating the cleanup every winter.

On older streets, neighbors often have the same pipe materials and trees. If one home has root problems, others likely will too.

Gurgling and slow drains? Call a drain contractor before the line fully blocks.

Good habits, a camera check and quick action on warning signs.

Questions about sewer backups in older olympia neighborhoods? Call (360) 325-8833 to reach a local Olympia provider, 24 hours a day.