Maybe your kitchen sink simply refused to drain completely, or you saw water backing up into your bathtub. It’s likely that you’ve experienced drain trouble at some point in your life. Many drain problems involve issues with your home’s plumbing. Others are caused by human error, such as pouring too much cooking grease down your kitchen sink.
In many cases, you can resolve the problem yourself by clearing a clogged drain with a plunger or plumbing snake. That may not be possible if a sewer line issue is causing your drain problems, though. Your sewer line is what allows wastewater to drain from your home. It’s a crucial part of your plumbing system that can cause a serious headache if it isn’t working properly. Let’s take a look at some common drain issues that could be caused by a sewer line problem.
1. Multiple Frequent Clogs
Almost everyone experiences clogs in their drains sometimes, but they shouldn’t be occurring constantly. Constant clogs are a sign that you have a blockage somewhere in your plumbing at a minimum. If you have multiple clogged drains in your home, the problem could be in your sewer line. A plumber should be able to use a sewer camera to identify the problem and come up with a solution. Give one a call if all your drains are clogged more often than not.
2. Foul Smells
While rotting food particles trapped in your drains can sometimes cause foul smells, they can also be caused by a blocked sewer line. This might be the case if you notice odors coming from multiple drains.
3. Water Backing Up Into Your Home
Since wastewater drains from your house through your sewer line, any blockage will mean that this water has nowhere to go except back through your plumbing. If this happens, you might notice water coming back up through your drains. This is arguably the worst-case plumbing scenario since you effectively no longer have any drains. The water — which will likely be from your sewer line and smell horrible — sits in your pipes, your sinks, and your shower, inconveniencing you at the very least and creating a serious health hazard at the worst.
While plumbing trouble has many possible causes, household drain problems are often linked to a failing sewer line. If you notice these problems in your home, and you can’t resolve them at all, contact a plumber. You’ll need to schedule a professional sewer line inspection as soon as possible. If you live in Durham, NC or a surrounding area and need sewer line services, make your first call to Harmon Plumbing.