Your sewer line is an underrated but important part of your home. In most homes, the sewer line is a horizontal drain pipe that runs underground from the house to the main sewer line run by the city. It moves shower, sink, and toilet wastewater from the house to that main line.
When you consider what gets flushed through the sewer line, you probably don't want to dwell on the details very much. You probably also don't want to have to clean up the backflow from a fully clogged sewer line. Indeed, professional clean up after a sewer backup can be costly. Know the signs of a clogged sewer line so you can have it unclogged before it backs up.
Multiple Fixtures With Clogs or Backups
When you have standing water in one sink, you probably realize you have a localized clog. You can have the plumbers come in to root out the clog. However, if you have several fixtures in which the water fails to drain, the clog is not localized. Indeed, multiple clogged fixtures are a prime warning sign of a clog in the sewer line.
The same logic applies to water backing up into your sinks. If water is backing up into multiple fixtures, the problem is with the main line. You'll notice the problem first in low-lying fixtures, such as toilets and shower stalls. You'll also notice this issue on the ground or basement floors first.
Toilet or Pipes Gurgling
Homeowners often don't notice the regular sounds of their plumbing, so hearing a change can be tricky. However, a gurgling sound should be recognizable if it starts to occur. The sound often originates with the toilet, but it can develop in any pipe. A gurgling sound is a sign that water is trying to filter through an obstruction.
Sometimes the obstruction is just in one small pipe, but it can also be in your main sewer line. If you're not sure, notice where you hear the sound. If it's just in one room, having a plumbing snake put through the pipe underneath the fixture might solve the problem.
If you hear the gurgling through multiple fixtures, the obstruction is probably deeper in your pipes. You can have a clog anywhere along the main sewer line that leads to the central line.
Roots in the Tap Water
One of the main causes of a sewer line obstruction is a tree's roots growing against the pipe. Over time, this growth can puncture or even crush the pipes. The problem is especially prevalent in older homes.
The signs often start out slowly. Tree roots might cause the gurgling, or maybe water just drains more slowly over time. However, a prime indicator that a tree root has invaded your sewer line is the presence of bits of roots in your water. You'll especially notice these bits if the water backs up.
Sewer Smells
The smell of the sewers may seem like an obvious sign of a sewer clog. In fact, sewer smells in the bathroom can indicate a localized clog or a failed seal. They can also indicate insufficient water in the P-trap, which is under the sink. You can run water to see if that solves the issue.
If it does not, follow your nose to other areas that might smell of the sewer. If the smell is pervasive throughout the house, the issue is probably the clogged sewer line. Look for other signs, such as the ones listed above.
When you call in plumbers to investigate a potential sewer line clog, they can use specialized equipment to clear the clog. If it doesn't work, they can employ a camera inspection to detect the deeper issue. Let the plumbing experts detect and solve your sewer line clog before it backs up into your house. Call
Roto-Rooter Sewer-Drain Service
for these services.
