Toilet Backup Problems 101: Common Questions From Worried Homeowners
You hear bubbling and gurgling after you flush, or, even worse, you come home to disastrous circumstances in your bathrooms after a heavy rain. There are few things more disturbing and worrisome than a backed up toilet problem at home. Take a look at some of the things you will want to know if you have issues with toilet backup in your home.
Will homeowners insurance cover damage caused by toilet backup problems?
Unfortunately, most homeowner's insurance policies do not cover sewage or toilet backup problems. Unless there is a specific coverage listing for this kind of problem in your policy, you will likely have to take care of the expense on your own. There are situations when sewage backup may be covered, however. For instance, if the problem with sewage backup is a result of flood damage, the expense may be covered if you have flood insurance on your home. In either case, it is best to talk to your homeowner's insurance provider after a backup problem that has caused damage to see if you may have the proper coverage.
Why do toilets back up and how can it be avoided?
Toilets back up for a lot of reasons, but most often, it is a sign of a clog in the line. If there has been too much material flushed down the toilet, it can prevent the correct flow when the toilet is flushed. If your toilet is overflowing even when it has not been flushed, the situation is even more dire. In most cases, this means there is a problem in the main drainage line or the line has been oversaturated with ground moisture because of a leak. For the most part, preventing issues with sewage backup is about being mindful of what gets flushed and seeing to it that your septic tank is emptied on schedule if you have one.
Why is a backed up toilet considered a health hazard?
If a toilet is backed up to a point that it overflows, you are basically going to have raw sewage inside your home. Therefore, it is not uncommon for a toilet backup service to recommend that homeowners find a place to stay while the repairs are being made and the mess cleaned up. The material contains dangerous biological pathogens that can make you and your family very sick if ingested, inhaled, or otherwise introduced into your body.
