A clogged sewer line can have disastrous consequences for your home. If you notice a clog, your first action may be to reach for a plunger. Unfortunately, there are some scenarios where this will be a wasted effort, such as when your main sewer line is clogged. If this occurs, you may face the possibility of widespread flooding, with wastewater damaging your home and a variety of plumbing problems throughout the property.
It is important to identify a clogged sewer line and the actions you need to take to minimize the risk of serious damage. In this article, we’ll explore what you should do if you have a clogged sewer line so you can quickly take action.
Before we discuss what you should do if you suspect you have a clogged sewer line, it is important to understand what can cause it to become clogged.
Sewer lines are typically four to six inches wide, which makes clogs quite rare. A clog usually occurs only if there has been a serious issue inside your plumbing system.
One of the most common reasons a sewer line may become clogged is damage to the actual sewer line. If a pipe shifts, bends, or collapses, the damaged section can prevent waste from adequately moving through the line. Several issues can cause damage to a sewer line, including corrosion inside the pipe, damaged pipe joints, or shifting soil around the pipe. Your sewer line may also suffer damage if there is heavy traffic in the area above the sewer line or construction near the line.
Unfortunately, sewer lines can also gradually sag over time. This can cause the pipe to bend, allowing debris to accumulate in the distorted section of the pipe. Eventually, the debris accumulation will be so severe that it causes a clog.
Sewer lines are designed to carry human waste and gray water away from the home, but they can be vulnerable to clogs if other materials are present. Fat is one of the most common forms of debris contributing to clogs. If you habitually pour oils, fats, or greases down your kitchen sink drain, you must know that it will eventually cool and harden. Even if you try running hot water while flushing away the grease, it will still cool and firm up when it reaches the main sewer line. The fats then stick to the interior surface of the lines, attracting additional debris and causing a clog.
You can also experience a sewer line clog if you tend to flush other items down the drain. The sewer system is only designed to handle human waste, water, and toilet paper, which rapidly dissolves. If you flush paper towels, sanitary products, or even “flushable” wipes, you may end up with a clogged sewer line.
Another cause of sewer line clogs is tree root intrusion. Trees are mighty, and the root systems will burrow deeper and further in search of moisture and nutrients. Over time even small roots can work their way into pipes. Your pipe could become compromised if there is a hairline crack or a particularly resilient tree root. Since the root will clog up the break in the line, you may not notice any significant leaks, but the roots will continue to grow inside the pipe, which forms a mass that prevents the liquids and waste from passing through efficiently.
The sewer line is a crucial part of your home plumbing system, as it carries wastewater away from your home. All the drain lines from your sinks, tubs, toilets, water-using appliances, and more lead to the main sewer line. This massive pipe carries wastewater to the sewer system or septic tank. If there is a clog, it will prevent drains all around your home from working correctly. You could even end up with wastewater backing up from the fixtures, which can be messy and unpleasant.
Fortunately, these problems rarely occur overnight. Instead, they gradually develop over time. If you can identify a potential clog early, you can quickly address the issue before it becomes a significant problem.
Some of the early warning signs of a sewer line clog include:
This is one of the most obvious signs of a sewer line clog: water backs up into your shower, sink, or tub. This is because the drain water is struggling to drain properly, as the material is not flowing properly through the sewer line. The water is forced to move backward, and it will seek the lowest point of entry. Typically, this will be a tub, shower, or floor drain in your basement.
Where this differs from a blocked fixture due to a leaky pipe, the water in your shower or drain will not be clear. Waste material is typically mixed into the liquid, creating a dark, gross-looking water that may have an unpleasant smell. This water may contain raw sewage, so it must be handled carefully. You must use powerful cleaners and proper protective equipment to clean up if dark water flows into your drains.
If your plumbing system is operating in tip-top condition, the water should drain rapidly into the drain anytime you pull the plug. If the water starts to pool when you run it, it indicates a slow-moving drain typically caused by a clog. Most sewer line clogs don’t entirely clog the pipe; the debris tends to accumulate over time. This makes it harder for the waste to move through, so you will likely notice slow-moving drains well before your sewer line has a significant obstruction.
If all of the drains inside your home have started to slow down, it is likely that you have a clog in your sewer line. Generally, the first drains that start to slow down are the toilets. When you flush, the water may hang there briefly before it gradually sinks down. This is because toilets are usually directly connected to the sewer line, so they are often the first fixture affected by a clog in the main line.
Be sure to contact your local plumbing company to investigate the cause of your clogged sewer line.