What are the warning signs of a sewer line blockage?
The clearest signs are multiple drains backing up at once, gurgling toilets when you run the washer or shower, slow drains throughout the house, and sewage smell coming from drains or the yard. A single slow drain is usually a local clog. When two or more fixtures back up together, the blockage is usually in the main sewer line and needs a professional camera inspection.
Which signs point to the main sewer line?
- Multiple drains slow at once. When the toilet, tub, and kitchen sink are all slow, the blockage is in a branch line or the main line.
- Cross-fixture backup. You run the washer and the toilet starts gurgling, or the tub fills when the washing machine drains. Water has nowhere to go because the main line is blocked.
- Sewage smell from drains. It can come from a partial blockage, a dry trap, a failed toilet seal, or a vent problem.
- Yard wet spots near the sewer line. If one spot stays soggy while the rest of the yard is dry, even with no rain and no sprinklers running, the line may be leaking.
- Tree roots in your yard near the sewer. Older clay or cast-iron lines attract roots through tiny cracks. Roots grow inside the pipe and cause chronic clogs.
What to do next: If two or more fixtures are backing up, stop running water and flushing, and call (909) 312-4516 or text (909) 247-6791. Sweetwater clears the line and runs a camera through it so you can see what caused the blockage before you decide on any repair.
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