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Protect your house from sewer backups

Don’t let clogged sewers wreak havoc on your home Backed up sewers can cause thousands of dollars in damage to floors, electrical systems, walls, furniture and other belongings. Learn about causes of sewer backups, what you as a homeowner are responsible for maintaining and steps you can take to protect your home against sewer problems Homeowners’ responsibility for sewer maintenance Most homeowners may not realize that they are responsible for the maintenance and repair of their house or sewer lateral—that is, the pipeline between the city sanitary sewer main (which is usually located in the street) and the building. The sewer lateral is owned and maintained by the property owner and the homeowners responsibility includes any part of the lateral that extends into the street or public right of way. A cracked or deteriorated lateral or one filled with tree roots can allow groundwater to seep into the system, contributing to the problem. For homeowners who want to insure themselves against sewer backups, coverage is available from most providers for a nominal cost. Causes of sewer backups While most basement water problems are not caused by sewer backups, the Civil Engineering Research Foundation reports that the number of backed up sewers is increasing at an alarming rate of about 3 percent annually. There are a number of causes of sewer backups—here are some of the most common. Aging sewer systems ‒ The American Society of Civil Engineers indicates that the nation’s 500,000-plus miles of sewer lines are on average over thirty years old. The increase in the number of homes connected to already aging sewage systems has also contributed to rapid increases in sanitary sewer backups, flooded basements and overflows. Combined pipelines ‒ Problems arise in systems that combine storm water and raw sewage into the same pipeline. During many rain storms, the systems are exposed to more volume than they can handle, and the result is a sewage backup situation that allows sewage to spew out into basements and other low lying drains. Tree roots ‒ Seeking moisture, small roots of trees and shrubs make their way into sewer line cracks and service pipe joints, and can cause extensive damage or blockages as they grow larger. The cost of the clean-up will fall to the problem tree’s owner. When the issue is a result of a combination of city and private trees, the costs are sometimes split between the city and the property owner. Sanitary main blockages ‒ A blockage can occur in a city sanitary main. If the blockage is not detected in time, sewage from the main can back up into homes and businesses through floor drains. Usually this happens slowly and there are early indications of a problem. If you see seepage at the floor drains, call a licensed plumber to assess the situation and the damage. If water is entering into your basement at a rapid rate, call the city public works office and report the problem immediately. How to prevent backups in your sewer lateral and in the city main Properly dispose of grease. Cooking oil should be poured into a heat-resistant container and disposed of properly after it cools off, not in the drain. Washing grease down the drain with hot water is unsatisfactory. As the grease cools off, it will solidify either in the drain, the property owner’s line, or in the main sewer causing the line to constrict and eventually clog. Properly dispose of paper products. Paper towels, disposable (and cloth) diapers, hygienic wipes and feminine products do not deteriorate quickly and can cause a great deal of trouble in the property owner’s lateral as well as in the city main. Periodically cut tree roots. If you have continuing problems with tree roots in your lateral, you may have to regularly have the roots cut by a professional. Replace your line with new plastic pipe. Plastic pipe will prevent tree roots from entering your line is to replace your line and tap with new plastic pipe. Correct illegal plumbing connections. Do not connect French drains, sump pumps and other flood control systems to your sanitary sewer. It is illegal to do so, and debris and silt will clog your line. Consult a plumber to correct any pre-existing illegal connections. Install a backwater prevention valve, which is a fixture installed into a sewer line (and sometimes into a drain line) in the basement of your home or business to prevent sewer backflows. A properly installed and maintained backwater valve allows sewage to go out, but not to come back in. Be sure to use a qualified plumber. What to do if you experience a sewer backup A sewer backup can lead to disease, destruction of your valuables, damage to your house or business, and can even result in electrical malfunctions. Prompt cleanup of affected property can help minimize the inconvenience and prevent mold or further damage. If you experience a sewer backup situation, immediately arrange for the cleanup of your property. This should include: Wet-vacuuming or removal of spillage Mopping floors and wiping walls with soap and disinfectant Flushing out and disinfecting plumbing fixtures Steam cleaning or removing wet carpets or drapes Repairing or removing damaged wallboard or wall covering Cleanup of ductwork To facilitate a sewer backup claim, take “before” photos of your basement (or any area likely to be affected) and create a home inventory. If you have an incident, be sure to take “after” photos of the affected areas and itemize any property losses. Save all receipts related to repair, cleaning or damages and contact your insurance professional as soon as possible.
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The breathtaking majesty of volcanoes via jaw-dropping photographs

There are few sights on Earth’s landscapes as awe-inspiring as a volcano – active or dormant. And a new book underscores this, offering ‘a visual celebration of the most impressive, infamous and active volcanoes from all corners of the globe’. The book “Volcano” by Robert J Ford, takes the reader on an eye-opening photographic tour from Hawaii to Chile and from Portugal to New Zealand, taking in phenomena that, as Ford says in his introduction, are reminders of Earth’s raw power. He writes: ‘We humans have felt for centuries that we have mastery over our world – transforming it to suit our needs and ways of life. Yet our planet now and again sends reminders that we are but residents upon its back. ‘Volcanoes are the most powerful of these, which humans snuggled up against over time as we expand our built environment into every corner of the natural world.’ So, let’s see this pick of the pictures in the mesmerising tome. Puyehue-Cordon Caulle, Ranco Province, Chile A stunning photograph of one of this century’s most colossal eruptions. Puyehue-Cordon Caulle in the Southern Volcanic Zone is a complex of two volcanoes: Puyehue and the fissure system of Cordon Caulle. After 51 years of inactivity, in 2011–12, it exploded in what became the biggest eruption of the 21st century so far. An estimated 100million tons of ash, sand and pumice were ejected, some of which circled the globe, reaching other parts of South America, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand. Lagoa De Santiago, Sete Citades, Sao Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal The Lagoa de Santiago fills one of the cones that arose in the caldera of the Sete Citades Massif, an ancient stratovolcanic complex at the western end of Sao Miguel Island. The caldera is dominated by the twin lake of Lagoa das Sete Citades (seen in the background), which is said to have been created by the tears of two young lovers forbidden to see each other by the king Mount St Helens, Washington, Usa The landslide that preceded and triggered the blast of pyroclastic material in the 1980 eruption was caused by the collapse of the entire north face of the mountain after an earthquake and carried with it debris that covered an area of 62 square km with many metres of rubble. It was the largest landslide in recorded history and left a clear view into the volcano’s crater for the first time. Ol Doinyo Lengai, Tanzania Ol Doinyo Lengai varies between eruptions of liquid lava that form lava lakes and fountains (known as effusive eruptions) and explosive eruptions that create large cinder and ash cones. An episode of the latter type in 2007 spewed ash thousands of metres into the air, which also fell on the surrounding countryside, forcing local residents to flee with their livestock. Explosive eruptions continued into 2008, building a cone over 100m (330ft) high that encircled a steep-sided crater. Mount Vesuvius, Campania, Italy This volcano poses a deadly threat to millions. Mount Vesuvius, part of the Campanian Volcanic Arc, dominates the Bay of Naples and the population centres lying within its reach. It is these nearby settlements that make Vesuvius one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, with three million people in Naples near enough to be threatened by an eruption and the mountain being the only mainland European volcano to have erupted in the past 100 years (1944 being the last incident). Devils Tower, Wyoming, Usa It’s a volcanic tower that’s out of this world, having made an appearance in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Ford reveals that this 264m (867ft) geological feature is considered sacred by Northern Plains Indians and is thought to have been formed ‘by an intrusion of magma into surrounding sedimentary rock’ and ‘would only have become a visible landmark when all the sedimentary material eroded away’. Ford adds: ‘Some believe, however, that Devils Tower is all that remains of what was once a huge explosive volcano’ Bardarbunga Volcanic System, Vatnajokull National Park, Iceland ‘Baroarbunga is a stratovolcano located under the Vatnajokull ice cap (known as a subglacial volcano), Iceland’s biggest,’ explains Ford. ‘During the 2014–15 eruption, the emptying of Baroarbunga’s magma chamber saw a subsidence of its caldera by around 65m (213ft), which also caused a sinking of the surface of the glacier under which the volcano sits’ Cotopaxi, Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador ‘Cotopaxi’s biggest known eruptions were in 1742, 1744, 1768 and 1877,’ reveals Ford. ‘The latter three events destroyed Latacunga town on each occasion. During the 1877 eruption, pyroclastic flows on all sides of the mountain melted the entire ice cap to cause lahars [mudflows] that travelled more than 100km (62 miles) to the Pacific Ocean. Modern eruptions threaten flash-melts of the new glacier and lahars that pose a great risk to the land and population nearby’ Teide, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain The summit of Teide is the highest point in Spain and the islands of the Atlantic at 3,718m (12,198ft). It rises out of the caldera of another giant volcano that helped birth Tenerife, reveals Ford. He continues: ‘The island was created through the accretions of three large shield volcanoes that formed their own small landmasses. Between these another volcano, Las Canadas, formed, joining all four together in a small island, which then grew over the millennia. Las Canadas later collapsed to create the caldera, out of which Teide grew over the course of the last 160,000 years’ Zendan-E Soleyman, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran ‘The hollow cone of Zendan-e Soleyman is a 107m- (351ft) tall ancient extinct volcano formed of mostly calcium sediments,’ writes Ford, ‘with the remains of various temple buildings surrounding the peak. Its crater, 65m (213ft) wide and 85m (279ft) deep, was filled with water centuries ago but has long since dried up. The mountain takes its name – “the Prison of Solomon” – from the biblical king Solomon, after a local legend that tells how the Hebrew king imprisoned monsters within the mountain’s >>Read more
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Kelly Clarkson has filed to legally change her name in wake of divorce from Brandon Blackstock

‘My new name more fully reflects who I am: Kelly Clarkson seeks to change her name to Kelly Brianne in wake of divorce By Adam S. Levy For Dailymail.com Published: 04:04 GMT, 18 February 2022 | Updated: 04:04 GMT, 18 February 2022 Kelly Clarkson has filed to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne. The entertainer, 39, on Monday said she desired to make the name change – which is her first and middle names – as her ‘new name more fully reflects who’ she is, according to court docs reviewed by US Weekly. Another hearing on the matter is slated for March 28, the outlet reported. The latest: Kelly Clarkson, 39, has filed to legally change her name to Kelly Brianne, as she said her ‘new name more fully reflects who’ she is. The singer was snapped last month The Fort Worth, Texas-born star has spent more than a year and a half working through her divorce from Brandon Blackstock, 45, with whom she shares daughter River Rose, seven, and son Remington Alexander, five. Prior to the breakup, she was also the stepmother of his two kids with ex-wife Melissa Ashworth, Savannah, 19, and Seth, 14. The Kelly Clarkson Show host initially filed for divorce from Blackstock in June of 2020 saying there were ‘irreconcilable differences’ in the marriage, which began when the couple wed in October of 2013. In court, last month, the A Moment Like This songstress conceded 5.12 percent of the $17.8 million Montana ranch they lived on to Blackstock, which is worth around $908,800, according to the outlet. The My Life Would Suck Without You artist was court-ordered to pay Blackstock $150,000 in monthly spousal support, with an extra $45,601 earmarked toward their children. The Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) performer, who shares joint physical and legal custody of her two kids with Blackstock, told Extra last fall that she and Blackstock had ‘a lot of help as far as therapists or child psychologists’ for their children because they want to do it right,’ adding, ‘Everyone’s sad and it’s OK to be sad.’ ‘I know with me and Brandon, it’s just a difficult thing because we’re in different places,’ she said. ‘And it’s like, we both agree on the main things, but it’s a hard thing when you’re not together all the time, for me personally. ‘As long as you make sure it’s about the children and their best interests, then we’re both on board.’ Read more at DailyMail.co.uk
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Philippines orders more than 25 million people into lockdown over Easter as Covid-19 cases soar

The Philippines orders more than 25 million people into lockdown over Easter as Covid-19 cases soar. Millions of people in the Philippines won’t be celebrating Easter as normal this year after the majority Catholic country imposed a strict lockdown in the capital and nearby provinces. Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced the lockdown Saturday after the country reported 9,838 new Covid-19 cases — the country’s highest single-day increase, according to official state media Philippines News Agency. The Philippines has reported more than 720,000 coronavirus cases, including 13,170 deaths, making it one of the worst affected countries in Asia. The country has seen a steep rise in daily reported cases since February, and the country is now reporting more than 9,000 new cases a day. There are more than 105,000 active cases, according to the Philippines’ Department of Health. More than 25 million people across Metro Manila and nearby provinces Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal will be affected by the lockdown. The lockdown begins Monday and runs until April 4 — or Easter Sunday, a day when Christians often celebrate with special church services. Religious gatherings are not allowed during the holy week. That’s a blow for the Philippines, where more than 90% of the population are Christian, according to the CIA World Factbook. The measures include a curfew from 6 p.m. until 5 a.m. — tightened from the previous 10 p.m. curfew. Gatherings of more than 10 people outside are not allowed, and non-household members cannot gather indoors, the government said. Diners are not allowed to eat in restaurants, although take-out and delivery services can go ahead. The Philippine National Police has deployed thousands of officers in checkpoint areas to help enforce the rules, according to a PNA report. Vaccines are being rolled out to medical frontlines, and last week the Department of Health urged people who were not health care workers to refrain from jumping the queue. “Do not worry. Our goal is still to ensure that everybody will be vaccinated. But while we do this, the government is prioritizing healthcare workers as they are the most exposed and the most at risk of getting Covid,” National Task Force Against Covid-19 chief implementer and vaccine czar secretary Carlito Galvez said. “More vaccines will arrive, we are sure of that. We just have to wait for our turns to be vaccinated.” Source: CNN.com
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Car breakdown safety

If you are in an accident or your car breaks down, safety should be your first concern. Getting out of the car at a busy intersection or on a highway to change a tire or check damage from a fender bender is probably one of the worst things you can do. The Insurance Information Institute recommends the following precautions when your car breaks down: Never get out of the vehicle to make a repair or examine the damage on a busy highway. Get the vehicle to a safe place before getting out. If you’ve been involved in an accident, motion the other driver to pull up to a safe spot ahead. If you can’t drive the vehicle, it may be safer to stay in the vehicle and wait for help or use a cell phone to summon help. Under most circumstances standing outside the vehicle in the flow of traffic is a bad idea. Carry flares or triangles to use to mark your location once you get to the side of the road. Marking your vehicle’s location to give other drivers advance warning can be critical. Remember to put on your hazard lights! In the case of a blowout or a flat tire, move the vehicle to a safer place before attempting a repair—even if it means destroying the wheel getting there. The cost of a tire, rim, or wheel is minor compared to endangering your safety.
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