Your house's sewer line is the drain line that directs all the wastewater from your home to the municipal wastewater treatment system or your own septic system. It's also referred to as the main drain line.
When there's a problem with your main line, you may experience problems with your sinks, toilets, or shower drains. Here are some common trouble signs of a faulty sewer line.
Slow Drains
If you start experiencing slow drains when taking a shower, using the dishwasher, or flushing the toilet, these are warning signs of a clogged sewer line. When the main line is clogged up, the wastewater exiting your home via the various drain lines within the home will not drain as quickly as it usually does.
If the problem is left unaddressed, it can lead to more serious plumbing issues such as clogged sinks, toilets, and shower drains, which may render the entire plumbing system inoperative.
Standing Water
Standing water in the dishwater, shower, toilet, and your yard are also tell-tale signs of sewer line trouble. There likely is a clog within the sewer line that is stopping the wastewater from exiting your home.
If you have standing water somewhere within your residential plumbing installation, you should cut off the water supply to your home and call an emergency plumber immediately. In addition to being an eyesore, standing water can also jeopardize the health of your family, as it can harbor harmful bacteria and invite vermin into your home.
Constant Backups
If wastewater is constantly backing up in more than one area of your home, this is a sign of a blockage within your main sewer line. Left unattended, the problem can lead to sewage backing up into your sinks, shower, toilets, and even the floors of your home.
Seldom does your wastewater start backing up without warning. Continuous backups are usually a result of ignoring early warning signs of sewer line issues such as slow drains and standing water.
Sewer Odor
Residential drains usually have venting systems to help direct bad sewer smells away from your home. If you notice a foul odor coming from your drains whenever the water is running, it's likely your sewer line or sewer line vents are clogged and need to be cleared. Drain cleaning service can also help get rid of all the smelly debris that may be stuck inside your sewer line, making it smell fresh again.
Keep in mind that isolated problems experienced with sinks, toilets, or shower drains may be an indication that certain drains only are affected. A drain line repair service can look into your situation and recommend the appropriate repair service. Contact a drain line repair service for more information.
