Signs That Your Sewer Lines Aren’t Working Properly

Have you noticed sewage smells around your home or business? Have you dealt with constant wet areas on your property or have pests moved in due to damp conditions?

Sewer Lines

These are signs that your sewer line is damaged. If you hire the correct plumber, getting repairs done can be an affordable and hassle-free experience. Visit https://www.plumbing-express.com/ to learn more.

Clogged drains are one of the most common signs that your home’s sewer lines aren’t functioning properly. If multiple sinks, toilets, or tubs start backing up without explanation—especially in the lower level of your home, where water and waste tend to accumulate—it’s likely that the main sewer line is clogged somewhere between the house and the street. Frequent clogs are often caused by build-up of food scraps, hair, and other items that wash down the drains.

A licensed plumber has the skills, tools, and experience necessary to trace and resolve a main sewer clog. They’ll use HD sewer cameras to inspect the line, and they can access advanced plumbing materials that may minimize property damage. Plus, they can use trenchless technologies for quicker, more accurate repairs that reduce the risk of recurring problems and costly repair bills in the future.

Unlike a plumbing fixture that’s easily fixed with a plunger or chemical drain cleaner, a clogged sewer pipe can be very difficult to resolve. A professional plumber will use special equipment to break up and remove the blockage and restore proper drainage.

If your home’s sewer drains are constantly clogged, it’s likely that the line between the house and the city sewage main is blocked or damaged. Contact your city utility company to report the issue. But remember that the city is only responsible for issues with the public sewer system—it can’t fix clogged private pipes.

In some cases, a clogged sewer pipe can simply be cleared with high-pressure water jets. However, more severe damage may require digging up and replacing the line with a new section. This process requires surveying the area and marking underground utilities, using heavy machinery to dig trenches, and disconnecting and lifting old pipe sections.

Slow Drains

Most homeowners don’t give much thought to the drains in their home until they stop working properly. Slow drains are not only frustrating to deal with but also a sign that there’s a problem that needs to be addressed immediately. The longer you wait, the more serious the issue will become.

When your sinks, showers, or toilets have slow or clogged drains, it’s time to call in the experts. Your plumbers will start by performing a full drainage system evaluation to determine the cause of your problems. They will be able to identify where the clog is located and use professional-grade equipment to remove it.

The underlying issue that causes many of these problems is that debris and other materials are getting into your pipes. For example, wet wipes, cigarettes, hygiene products like cotton swabs and dental floss, and food scraps can all get into your drains. This creates a narrower pathway for water to travel through, which leads to slow or clogged drains.

Eventually, these obstructions can build up until there’s no passageway left for water to flow through. Depending on the severity of the clog, your plumbers may be able to fix it with a drain snake or power auger or use a high-powered water jet. If the problem is in your sewer line or vent pipe, they will be able to fix it using one of their no-dig solutions or traditional trench digging methods.

Another common reason for slow drains is that the septic tank is overfilled or there’s an issue with the drain field. Your plumbers will be able to check the septic tank, pump it if necessary, and clean out the drain field to prevent problems with your other drains in the house.

Increased Humidity

Homeowners can prevent humidity issues through regular maintenance of their drain lines and appliances. However, some causes of humidity are outside the control of any homeowner. Summer storms and rain often wash debris into sewer systems that connect homes to municipal or private septic tanks and waste management facilities. This can overload these systems, resulting in clogs and backups.

When sewage backups occur, it’s important to contact your plumber for emergency plumbing services. This is because a clogged sewer system poses a serious health risk to your family. Sewage carries dangerous bacteria and viruses that can cause illness when exposed to airborne particles or vapors. Gastroenteritis and respiratory symptoms similar to asthma are common side effects of exposure. In addition, sewage may also carry harmful parasites like Salmonella, E coli, and Hepatitis.

Unlike slow-draining pipe clogs that are easily treated with a plunger or bottle of drain cleaner, a sewage clog is often more complicated and requires professional help to repair. In many cases, removing the clog causes a back-up in another part of the house’s drain line. If you experience a second clog in a different location, contact your plumber immediately to prevent further damage and expensive cleanup costs.

While the damage caused by storms and flooding is largely unavoidable, other factors can contribute to sewer line problems, including old age, ground shifts, and tree root infiltration. These issues can eventually lead to cracks in the pipes, causing them to leak or burst. These cracks will require repair or replacement to restore the proper flow of wastewater through your home’s drain and sewer line. Your plumber may recommend trenchless methods such as pipe bursting for these repairs, which are completed without disturbing the yard or landscaping.

Pests

Pests such as cockroaches, ants, and rodents are drawn to plumbing issues like leaky pipes and clogged drains. This is because these issues provide food, water, and shelter for pests that can cause additional damage to your home.

In addition, these pests thrive in humid environments such as those created by plumbing leaks, clogged drains, and poor ventilation. This is because the leaks and clogs create moisture that makes the surrounding area of your home attractive to pests.

Leaking plumbing pipes can also create a moist environment that encourages the growth of mold. Mold can be a health risk for you and your family, so it is important to address any plumbing problems that can lead to mold growth.

If your sink, toilet, or bathtub will not drain after you flush it, this is a clear sign that you have a blocked sewer line. The blockage may be caused by hair, grease, or other debris that has built up in the line. A professional plumber can inspect and repair the blockage to prevent further damage to your home.

The sound of rattling or clanging pipes can give homeowners the heebie-jeebies. However, these sounds are actually a indication that pests are invading your home and finding their way into the plumbing system.

These pests can chew through pipe seals and cause further damage to your plumbing system. They can also gnaw through wires and other materials used to build your home, such as wood, insulation, laminate, or concrete. A professional plumber can fix the source of the problem to prevent pests from causing further damage to your home. Regular plumbing inspections and prompt repairs are the best ways to keep pests away from your home.

Toilet Backing Up

A clogged toilet is a clear indication that there is a problem with your sewer line. The wastewater line needs to move sewage and other waste from all of the drains in your home, including toilets, showers, tubs and kitchen sinks. If the wastewater line becomes clogged, it will start to back up into your drains, and you’ll need to call a plumber right away.

Toilet backups can be very dangerous for households because they can cause serious water damage and expose residents to raw sewage. If the sewage isn’t removed promptly, it can lead to health issues and even structural damage to homes. Plumbers will check several different issues that can cause a sewage backup and make the necessary repairs.

The most common reason for a clogged toilet is an improper item flushed down the drain or toilet. This can include things like baby wipes, paper towels, sanitary products, cotton balls, grease, and cooking oil. These items will build up over time and form a large blockage in the toilet called a fatberg. The other main reason for a toilet backup is that the sewer line is clogged or damaged. This can be caused by tree roots infiltrating the line or by a broken pipe.

A professional plumber can use a special motorized auger to break up and remove the blockage. They can also perform a camera inspection of the line to check for other problems. If the sewer line is completely clogged or broken, it will need to be replaced. This is typically a very expensive project that requires major excavation work. Plumbers can often reline the entire line or just a section using an epoxy-impregnated liner that will be inserted into the old pipe and inflated to create a new pipe inside of the old one.