From 40% of new homes in 2000 to 32% in 2013, the number of new houses with basements has significantly declined across the US. However, according to the US Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction, there has been a 9% rise in new homes in the country that have a finished basement in recent years. As per the government data, out of 738,000 new single-family homes completed in 2016, 200,000 had a full or partial basement.
A basement is called finished if all the paint, floor covering, doors, windows, heat and light have been taken care of. The reason for their popularity is that Americans are using this space as functional and fun rooms for their family, as a laundry room, or simply an additional storage area.
However, a single event of sewer backups can ruin your entire basement. In such situations, the source of sewage backups is often the sewage system running below the basement, instead of above it.
Overhead Sewers are a Saver
Does your home have a basement? Do you fear that your basement could turn dangerous and smelly during heavy rains? Expert plumber in Skokie at Mikes Chicago Plumbing, suggest that homeowners include an overhead sewer system when renovating their home or else choosing to buy a home that already has such a system installed.
In most cities in America, there is a combined sewer system, which is meant to collect the rainwater into the same underground pipes carrying sewage. So, what happens if it rains too heavily? During heavy rains, the volume of water going down these pipes can exceed the capacity of the sewers. It can cause the water levels to rise and back up into homes. What’s worse is that this could bring along raw sewage, with “sewer gas” or hydrogen sulphide into the basements, due to which the foul odor could then spread through the entire house in no time.
How Overhead Sewers Work
Leading plumbing services in Chicago explain that water has the tendency to seek the lowest point in a system. In homes with basements, the lowest point of the plumbing system is in the floor of the basement or cellar. The overhead sewage system raises the lowest point in a home’s plumbing to be well above even an overflowing sewer, making your basement safe and secure. It also reduces the potential repair costs in case of a plumbing issue, since the pipes are easily accessible from the basement.
Overhead sewers are by far the most effective way to prevent sewer backups. They are installed along basement ceilings. “Overhead” sewer system, in which all plumbing lines from the first floor and above are routed into a tall pipe that connects to the sewer, work by eliminating the connection between the main sewer system and the basement. These systems allow the above-ground sewage to flow into the lateral line by gravity. The below-grade sewage is collected in an ejection pit, which is then pumped up to the house sewer line.
The installation of an overhead sewage system reduces the insurance costs too, since insurance companies believe that homes with such systems are less likely to face water damage. However, the overhead sewage system can be costly to install, which makes it more than important for the homeowners in Chicago to get multiple quotes from plumbers, to find the best emergency plumber for the job.
