What To Do When the Sewer Line is Clogged
Backed-up sewer lines can be frustrating and disgusting. Despite a homeowner’s best attempts, a household will likely have to deal with this problem at some point. Knowing the signs and underlying causes can help homeowners effectively deal with the problem and the underlying causes. Some of the signs of a clogged sewer line can be:
- Foul-smelling water backing up into bathtubs
- Slow-flushing toilets
- Slow draining from tubs and sinks
- Foul odors leaking out of drains
- Noisy draining
If any of these signs are spotted, professional drain cleaning solutions are the best quick fix, as they can offer insights into any underlying problems.
What Causes Backed-Up Sewer Lines?
One of the first questions homeowners should ask when dealing with a clogged sewer line is whether the problem has been occurring more frequently. Sometimes, sewer line clogs occur for no obvious reason, simply because the line is fouled with grime.
However, sewer line clogs often occur in a cluster. Homeowners find themselves calling a plumber multiple times over the course of a few weeks or months. When this happens, there is likely an underlying cause leading to frequent sewer line backups.
Sewer lines are buried under the home and property, exposing them to certain unseen hazards. Some of the causes of chronic sewer line clogs can be:
- Shifting soils that cause the pipes to misalign or sheer
- Stressed pipe joints
- Outdated sewer line materials
- Cracked metal or clay sewer lines
- Invasive tree roots
- Poor drain habits
- Sewer Clog Solutions
Knowing the frequency of drain line problems can help plumbers troubleshoot a problematic sewer line. Often, a visit from a plumber in this circumstance will prompt them to recommend drain snaking or hydrojetting.
Drain snaking is usually cheaper, but hydrojetting is much more effective in dealing with one-off sewer line problems. Hydro jetting cuts through clogs but also leaves the insides of pipes much cleaner than drain snaking.
Once the pipe is clear of debris and standing water, the plumber may recommend sewer video inspection if they suspect a more serious problem, such as chronic clogs. If a sewer line is damaged, they may recommend sewer line repairs or trenchless sewer repair methods for larger replacements.
Preventing Sewer Line Clogs
In an ideal world, homeowners would never have to deal with clogged sewer lines. While there are no guarantees that a sewer line will not fail, the preventative actions homeowners take can virtually eliminate the threat of surprise clogged sewer lines.
Start by changing how people use the drains in the home. For example, never put food waste down the drain. Always scrape dishes into the trash and run the garbage disposal if food particles enter the drain.
Encourage people in the home to only flush waste, not toilet paper, by providing trash cans for refuse. Finally, vegetation should be prevented from growing near the path of sewer lines so there is no chance a tree root will crack the line.
About Daniels Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC
Daniels Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning, LLC responds quickly to drain and plumbing emergencies. They can use hydrojetting to clear clogs and sewer line repairs to handle underlying problems. Call today for sewer line service in Albuquerque, NM.
