The Health Risks of Ignoring a Sewer Line Leak
You never want to ignore a sewer line leak. If you do, you greatly increase the risk of safety and health hazards from the contaminated wastewater. The best thing to do when you suspect a leak is to stop using water and call a plumber right away. The sooner you get the leak fixed, the easier it is to keep your family safe and healthy. Plus, a timely repair is essential to limiting damage and saving money.
Health and Safety Risks
Sewer line leaks let bacteria and sewage get into places where they don’t belong. Even minimal exposure to the contaminants can cause illness.
Raw Sewage Exposure
Your sewer line has raw sewage flowing through it that’s supposed to end up in a treatment plant or septic system. A leak will let the waste seep into the surrounding soil. Exposure to raw sewage can make you sick by introducing harmful bacteria and viruses into your body. Prolonged exposure may even cause serious infections, like hepatitis or gastrointestinal disease.
Toxic Sewer Gases
Hydrogen sulfide and methane are toxic sewer gases that form from the waste flowing through your sewer line. A leak can let these gases seep into your home. If you breathe them in, you may become dizzy, nauseous or even lose consciousness.
Mold and Mildew Growth
Sewer leaks introduce excess moisture into the surrounding soil. This creates the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow. These growths can quickly migrate into your home’s foundation, crawl space, and walls. Spores from the mold and mildew can infiltrate the air you breathe, triggering allergy and asthma flare-ups.
Foundation Structural Damage
As wastewater escapes through a sewer leak, it weakens the surrounding ground. The contaminated soil that touches your home’s foundation can become extremely unstable and prone to shifting. The ground may become so weak that it causes floors to slope or walls to crack. These safety hazards put you and your whole family at risk of injury.
Contaminated Water Supply
Sewer line leaks don’t just increase bacteria and contamination in your soil but also in nearby groundwater or well systems. This can present serious health hazards for both you and your neighbors. If the water supply becomes contaminated, it may carry harmful pathogens (E. coli, Giardia, norovirus) and chemicals (nitrates, ammonia, household waste residues) in it.
Pest and Insect Infestation
Flies, rodents, and cockroaches love sewage because of the moisture and food source it creates for them. If these pests make their way into your home, they can damage wiring and contaminate surfaces. Rodents are especially known for spreading disease. And even if they don’t get inside your home, they harm your soil and yard by spreading bacteria and waste.
Threats to Wildlife and Domestic Animals
You don’t want your furry friends to come into contact with raw sewage. It can make them extremely ill while also making it easier to spread disease to other animals and humans.
Costly Financial Fallout
The longer you ignore a sewer line leak, the more expensive it becomes to repair. This is especially true for major leaks that damage a home’s foundation and structural integrity.
Rapidly Escalating Repair Costs
These are some of the most common repairs that homeowners have to pay for to fix a sewer leak:
- Pipe excavation and replacement
- Trenchless pipe lining
- Soil erosion restoration
- Foundation crack sealing
- Landscape damage repair
- Drywall removal and replacement
- Subfloor rot repair
- Flooring removal and replacement
- Mold remediation treatment
- Cabinet base repair
- Interior plumbing replacement
By taking quick action when you suspect a sewer leak, you can greatly reduce how much damage occurs. Pensacola Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offers same-day service for sewer leaks, making it simple to get fast help from a licensed plumber.
Reduced Home Appraisal Value
You should also keep in mind that ignoring a sewer leak affects your home’s overall value. This can be especially problematic if you ever go to sell the home. Buyers do not want a home with constant sewer issues that have gone without repair. They prefer homes with documented maintenance.
How We Fix Sewer Line Leaks
We offer several repair methods for sewer leaks. We’ll use video camera inspections and advanced diagnostics to assess the damage and choose the best option for your property.
- Pipe relining: New liner placed inside the existing pipe
- Pipe bursting replacement: Breaks old pipe, pulls new pipe through
- Open trench replacement: Full excavation and pipe replacement
- Spot pipe repair: Fixes small damaged pipe sections
- Main line replacement: Entire primary sewer line replaced
How to Prevent Sewer Line Leaks?
The best way to avoid a sewer line repair is to put measures in place that help prevent leaks in the first place.
- Avoid pouring grease down the drain, as it can clog sewer lines.
- Book annual camera inspections to find and fix small problems before they cause serious issues or leaks.
- Be strategic with landscaping; the goal is to keep tree roots as far away from the sewer line as possible.
- Use drain screens on sinks and shower drains to keep debris from making its way into pipes. This will greatly reduce the chance of clogs and leaks.
- Only flush items that are approved for toilets. Don’t ever flush wipes, paper towels, or feminine products.
Contact Pensacola Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today to learn more about the health risks of sewer line leaks and how to avoid them. If there’s any delay, it’s YOU we pay!
