Schrader Plumbing Blog
Signs Your Sewer Main Line is in Trouble
In residential homes, there are drain lines that carry your drainage water away from your sinks, showers, tubs, and toilets. All these lines lead to the main sewer line. This large pipe sends the waste from your home into the city sewer system. If it gets clogged, drains all over your home are unable to work — and a homeowner’s worst nightmare can occur with water and sewage backing up out of your toilets and drains, Ick!! So you will want to stop it as quickly as you can spot the many tell-tale signs that your sewer line is in trouble.
If you find yourself with a main sewer line clog, there’s not really DIY simple fix. Most often the drainage pipes are buried deep under the ground far away from your home. You need the special equipment and expertise of a Professional, Licensed plumbing company to tackle these issues.
Do you recognize any of these red flags your sewer line may be in trouble?
- Foul odors. If a sewer line is emitting fumes, it could mean there is a leak in it as the pipes should be airtight so much so that noxious fumes should not seep out. Are you smelling rotten eggs or waste from your drains? If so-, it’s time to call Schrader Plumbing.
- Sewage backup and blockages. Sewage backups may sporadically happen, but if sewage backs up every time you flush the toilet, your main sewer line may be in trouble. All your home’s drains rely on the main sewer line in order to drain properly. If you start having multiple drains backing up concurrently, it’s definitely an issue with your main sewer line.
- Slow drains. Most slow drain problems are caused by simple clogs that can be solved with a basic plunger or drain cleaning. If the regular methods of unclogging methods aren’t fixing your slow drains, the issue can be a deeper blockage somewhere in the main sewer line. Unfortunately, mainline clogs are usually much bigger clogs that require sewer line video inspection cameras to get inside the line, find and remediate the culprit.
- Mold. No one ever wants to experience mold in their home. It can be an indicator of many problems, the first of which could be a damaged main line inside your home’s walls. A crack in the line can cause enough water to leak into your home which can result in mold growth over time. Since Mold is harmful to your health, contact a plumber immediately if you notice mold starting to spread on your walls or ceilings.
- Lush patches of grass. You may be super proud that your lawn is suddenly lush and thick- but it may not necessarily be a great thing. Sewage acts as a great fertilizer, and if you start to notice very thick, green patches of grass in your lawn, and know you haven’t really been taking care of it , lol-it could be from a leaking sewer line.
- Pests. Are you seeing rats and insects in your house and don’t know why? Unfortunately, a damaged main sewer line can also result in unwanted pests inside your home. Critters can easily squeeze through small gaps and cracks in your sewer line and find their way into your plumbing and your house. In addition to being gross and a nuisance-These pests can be very harmful to your health. If you suspect you have pests in your plumbing, a plumber can conduct a visual inspection of your sewer line.
- Lawn indentations. Besides lush lawns-Look for ruts or dips in your grass. If your main sewer line is cracked, it will saturate the soil around it, eventually causing it to dissipate and dip. Walk around where your sewer line is buried, if you notice any shifts in your lawn, Get the Schrader Plumbing team out there to take a look.
- Pools of septic waste. One of the more obvious outdoor signs is if you can see sewage pooling in your yard. If your yard smells foul and there’s a puddle that just won’t go away, the problem could be a cracked main sewer line.
- Common fixes don’t solve the problem. If it seems you’re constantly experiencing plumbing problems, it’s most likely an issue you can’t fix without professional help. A licensed plumber can not only detect that cause of the problem but safely repair or replace your main sewer line if needed.
Professionals have heavy-duty main sewer line cleaners and other equipment that lets them clear away all sorts of clogs. They also have the knowledge and experience to diagnose the primary issue. Repeatedly plunging, time and time again, your toilet, yourself won’t help you identify and repair tree root growth or other serious plumbing problems.
Getting a professional to examine your whole plumbing system will help ensure the real problem is addressed. Depending on your situation, you may need to replace sewer pipes entirely, which can involve digging up the yard and doing some major plumbing.
Don’t wait for a major problem with your main sewer line to happen to get to a dangerous point for your family’s health– call Schrader Plumbing at the first sign of a problem.
Categories: Sewer Lines,By: Michelle Kurcina
Last modified:
Last Modified: January 3, 2022 at 7:19 pm
