Every drain in your home attaches to a main sewer line; should it become blocked or broken, wastewater and sewage can back up into your home and overflow onto its floors.
Here are a few signs that indicate there could be an issue with your sewer line: gurgling noises coming from your toilet, backup of water in the sink or shower and unpleasant odors throughout the house.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s a good idea to have your sewer line checked out by the experts – Clover Services has you covered. Check them out at https://www.cloverco.com/plumbing/sewer/ for reliable plumbing solutions!
1. Gurgling noises
An audible gurgle coming from your drains is one of the telltale signs that your sewer line requires attention. Since your home’s drain lines connect directly with the main sewer system in town, any issues with this integral pipe could disrupt every water fixture throughout your home.
An under-sink vent or P-trap that becomes blocked with hair, soap scum, or grease can be the source of loud gurgling noises in drains. When this happens, vacuum pressure forms that cause drains to make gurgling sounds.
Your first instinct may be to attempt fixing the problem yourself with a plunger or plumber’s snake, but these tools should only be used for minor blockages.
For major obstructions that could lead to actual sewage backing up into your home, professional plumbers specializing in sewer-line cleaning and septic tank services have the expertise, tools, and experience necessary for efficient results.
2. Slow drains
Your drains connect directly to a sewer line that removes waste from your home.
Any issues along this chain could impact every drain in your house if there are issues in the sewer line itself, such as clogs and leaks that impact drainage speed, so it is essential that any such issues that conventional methods cannot clearly be monitored closely.
Clogged drains can be annoying, but when your entire drainage system becomes slow, and plunging and other in-home solutions don’t help, it may be time to call a plumber immediately. This indicates a major line issue that needs to be taken care of immediately to stay away from worsening issues down the line.
Leaks in sewer lines provide an entryway for rodents and insects that can get inside your home through any number of openings in it, leading to an infestation.
Therefore, you should watch for any sudden pest activity near your residence and consult a professional quickly and easily so they can assess and resolve your sewer line problems efficiently.
3. Water backing up
If the drains in your home are starting to back up, this could indicate an issue with the sewer line that could result in a sewage backup that causes water damage and makes you and your family sick.
This issue should be taken very seriously if it impacts multiple drains at once, as this could indicate that your septic tank has overflowed. As soon as this problem arises, professional assistance must be sought immediately to diagnose and address it to avoid further complications.
Many homeowners make the mistake of trying to clear a clog themselves using store-bought chemicals when this could only worsen matters and require costly future repairs. Pouring toxic substances down your pipes could only exacerbate the issue further, resulting in costly repairs.
Basic clogs are one of the main causes of sewer line backups. To reduce their effects, be mindful about what you put down your drains and toilets so that hair, oil, or “flushable” wipes don’t find their way into the pipes and cause an obstruction. Install drain catchers to help stop these items from entering.
4. Unpleasant smells
An overwhelming odor is another telltale sign that there’s a problem with your sewer line. The stench stems from an accumulation of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and carbon dioxide from sewage that’s been trapped in your pipes, producing hydrogen sulfide gas as it builds up over time.
If left unchecked, these toxins could cause health issues for you and your family.
Puddles that linger for too long on your lawn could also be an indicator of a leak in your sewer line. Sewer lines are intended to hold waste materials away from entering the soil; any leaks indicate that this contains has broken or cracked, necessitating repair.
Excess moisture can lead to mold growth which can be harmful to your health and unsightly to look at.
5. Damage to your foundation
Cracked foundations or buildings settling could be indicative of a broken sewer line. Over time, a damaged main sewer line can wash away soil supporting your foundation and cause irreparable damage to both homes and businesses.
One telltale sign of a broken sewer line is an increased population of rodents or insects around your home or business. Rodents love living in sewers and can slip through even small cracks in drain pipes to find shelter; once inside, they can breed rapidly in stagnant water that remains trapped between cracks in a pipe.
Once you start seeing an increase in rodents and insects, you might also experience an unexpected jump in your water bill. This could be caused by more water being drawn through plumbing fixtures when your sewer line becomes blocked or breaks.
If this occurs, turn off your water until professional plumbers can address the issue; otherwise, others in your household could use sinks and toilets causing the clog, making matters worse.