Approximately 20 percent of Americans live in homes with septic tanks.
If you’re part of this group, you have to be more vigilant than the average American when it comes to maintaining your sewer system and preventing blockages.
Have you been dealing with some plumbing problems lately? Have you been wondering if a blocked sewer drain is at the root of your plumbing problems?
If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, keep reading. Listed below are four common signs you ought to be on the lookout for.
1. Sink or Toilet Clogs
Is your sink getting clogged on a regular basis? Is the same thing true of the toilet or toilets in your house?
If you’re noticing more frequent sink and/or toilet clogs than usual, your sewer line could be the problem.
Many people first notice that their toilet is getting clogged more often. However, clogs can also occur in other areas (usually on the main floor of your home) such as the shower drain.
2. Water Backflow
When the sewer is blocked, many people also notice water flowing up through the drains in various areas of their home.
This water backflow usually occurs in response to the use of another fixture. For example, water might flow back out of the sink drain after someone flushes the toilet, or it might flow up into the bathtub when you run the washing machine.
3. Drainage in the Sewer Clean Out
The sewer cleanout is a pipe that connects to the main sewer line of your home. It gives plumbers access to the line to clear out blockages.
Most of the time, the cleanout is found right outside of the home or in the basement (it’ll usually be labeled “clean out” or “sewage”).
If you take a look at your home’s sewer cleanout and see sewage draining out of or standing in it, that’s a sign that you’re dealing with a clog in your main sewer line.
4. Sewage in the Floor Drain
You might also notice sewage pooling up in the floor drains in the basement of your home. You’ll also be able to tell easily by the smell of the fluid coming up that you’re dealing with sewage.
When the main sewer line becomes clogs, the water and sewage in the pipes don’t have anywhere else to go. Because of this, there’s a good chance that they’ll eventually make their way up into your floor drains, especially if you don’t get the problem fixed right away.
What to Do About a Blocked Sewer
If you’ve noticed any of these signs, there’s a good chance you have a blockage somewhere in your sewer line. Take the following steps to minimize the damage caused by the blockage and get it taken care of as soon as possible:
Turn Off the Water
The first thing to do if you suspect an issue with your home’s sewage line is to turn off the water.
Don’t continue running the water in your sink or flushing the toilet. This will just add to the water built up in your pipes and will increase your risk of a more serious problem, such as flooding.
Call a Plumber
Next, call a plumber.
If there’s a problem with your sewer line, you shouldn’t try to tackle it alone. Let an expert come out and take a look.
In most cases, they’ll be able to tell right away if a clog in the sewer line is the source of the problem or if something else is to blame.
Talk to Your Neighbors
You may want to talk to your neighbors as well (and, no, not just to ask them if you can use their shower while you wait for your sewer line to get fixed).
Talk to them to find out if they’re experiencing the same issues as you. If they are, there’s a chance the issue could be with the city’s sewer main.
If this is the case, you ought to contact your city utility workers to have them come and address the problem.
How to Prevent Future Blockages
Once you’ve paid for professional sewer drain cleaning from a plumber and have your septic tank back in working order, you’ll likely want to do whatever you can to keep it that way.
The good news is that there are lots of things you can do to prevent future sewer blockages, including the following:
Keep Drains Clear
Once a month, pour a drain cleaning solution down the drains in your home. This is an easy way to maintain them and reduce your risk of dealing with serious clogs.
Keep Trees and Shrubs Trimmed
Keep the trees and shrubs on your property trimmed, too. If branches make their way into the sewer line, they can cause serious blockages or even cause the pipe to burst all together.
Only Flush Toilet Paper
Don’t flush anything down the toilet other than toilet paper. Even wipes that claim to be flushable really aren’t, and they’re the source of a lot of sewer blockages.
Replace Your Old Pipes
If you know that the plumbing in your house is very old, you may want to invest in having it replaced. You especially ought to consider this if you’ve had to deal with a lot of blockages or other plumbing issues lately.
Prioritize Regular Maintenance
Finally, have a plumber come out to flush your sewer line once a year. This is known as a rooter cleaning, and it does a great job of helping you maintain your pipes and keep debris from building up and causing future clogs.
Fix Your Blocked Sewer Today
Now that you know more about the signs of a blocked sewer, do you suspect that you’re dealing with one?
If so, it’s imperative that you call a professional plumbing service right away. They’ll help to clear your drain, eliminate the blockages, and get your plumbing back to normal as soon as possible.
Do you want to learn more about other common home issues?
From plumbing to kitchen problems, we’ve got lots of resources available to you. Head to the Home Advice section of our site today to get started.