No one wants to hear that they have problems with their sewer line. Unfortunately, a handful of people don’t realize they have sewer line issues until raw sewage is flooding their backyard or home. Don’t be one of the ones that this happens to.
The great news is that you are not at the mercy of your home’s sewer system. The better news is that your sewer system gives you caution signs prior to breaking down. Be at caution for the following signs of sewer line problems and get ahead of disaster.
Frequently Clogged Drains
Have the drains in your home began clogging more often? Are you experiencing toilet clogs out of the blue? If you’re always plunging, think about what’s going on. It’s highly likely that a blockage has developed in the sewer line and is making it harder and harder for you to flush your toilets.
Additionally, make sure to pay attention to slow drains. Sometimes a slow drain is nothing more than a shallow clog that has made its way deep into the pipe. These types of clogs typically respond well to plunging. So, if you plunge and the water still drains slowly, it might be something a bit deeper in the pipe or in the sewer line.
Sinks and Bathtubs Backing Up When Toilet Is Flushed
When just one pipe is affected with a clog, only the drain attached to that line will back up. When a main line is affected, it’s very likely that more than one drain will back up at one time. For example, when you flush the toilet and the bathroom or kitchen sink backs up, this generally means that the main line is affected. There’s no wiggle room here.
Raw Sewage Smells
Do your household drains smell similar to rotten eggs? This is not typical, and it’s a very strong indication that there’s a clog in the sewer line. The reason drains smell when this happens is that the sewer odors have nowhere else to go, but back up and out of the interior drains.
If you smell this rotten egg smell, don’t try to mask it with air freshener. Rather, call a local Long Beach Plumber immediately. When sewer lines clog, sewer gas gets pushed up into the house. That’s typically what you’re smelling. When this gas stays in the house for a bit too long, it can make you sick and lead to explosive situations.
Wet Spots in the Yard
Have you witness soggy areas of your yard around the sewer line? There is a high chance that the line has a leak and is oozing sewage into the soil. In additional sign that this is happening is when the grass is greener along the line than other parts of your yard.
Preventing Sewer Line Mishaps
The best way to prevent costly sewer line repair and replacement is to have your outdoor plumbing inspected on a routine basis. Get regular sewer line cleaning and inspection to identify potential problems prior to having them get out of control and make some damage to your home.