Three Signs Your Sewer Line May Need Replacing

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Many homeowners don't give any considerable thought to their home's sewer lines, the pipes responsible for carrying away waste from the home to the sewer. However, just because it's out of sight and out of mind doesn't mean that nothing can go wrong with it. If you ever experience any of these three signs, chances are you need to consult with a plumber, as your sewer line may be damaged or may need replacing.

Frequent Clogs That Don't Improve

Many people experience clogs in their toilets and sinks from time to time, but they shouldn't be happening regularly. If you're having this problem despite changing your habits, like avoiding washing hair and food down the sink and flushing more frequently, that's one potential bad sign. However, the really bad sign comes when your efforts to fix the clogs are fruitless.

Generally speaking, plunging a toilet, using a plumbing snake, or utilizing a liquid drain cleaner (depending on the location of the problem) will solve most homeowner's problems. However, if you've utilized these methods and still have trouble with your toilet not flushing or your drains going down very slowly, this may mean that the problem isn't with the immediate plumbing attached to your sink or toilet, but rather outdoors in the sewer line.

Backing Up

Another common problem that comes with a damaged sewer line is sewage backing up into the home. This usually happens after doing something like running the washing machine, dishwasher, or flushing a toilet, anything that pushes a large quantity of water down the drain quickly.

When this much water meets a clog in the sewer line, there's nowhere for it to go. It can't break out of the sewer line, and it can't make it to the sewer, so it instead comes back up into your home. This is most likely to happen in your tub or toilet, so keep an eye out.

Sewage in Yard

While an intact sewer line will prevent sewage from coming out of it, sewage can still end up in your yard.

Sometimes, sewage that can't go anywhere else will come out of the sewer overflow located somewhere around your house. It usually looks like a small pipe sticking out of the ground with a cap on top. This pipe can have sewage and waste come out of it, making a nasty mess of your yard. Alternatively, if the sewer line itself is damaged, sewage can leak out into the ground around it, where it can start to soften the ground and cause a foul smell to arise in the yard.

If you're having any of these issues, only a plumber can help. Thankfully, a plumber can take a look at your sewer line without having to dig up your yard by using a camera. This problem will only get worse without help, so reach out to a sewer service such as Walt's Plumbing today.

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13 July 2020