What Are the Signs of a Main Sewer Line Clog?
A main sewer line clog rarely occurs out of the blue. More often than not, an attentive homeowner will see warning signs that indicate that there will be an imminent clog. Knowing what these signs are and watching out for these can save you from the hassles and costs associated with fixing clogged main sewer lines.
But before listing the signs of a main sewer line clog, it is a good idea to know a little bit about the anatomy of your home’s sewer line. Think of your home’s sewer line as something similar to a tree. On one hand, you have the main line which is essentially like a tree’s main trunk. The main sewer line runs across your home. The secondary lines are just like branches that run from the main line. When you have a main sewer line clog, this will mean that your whole home will be affected. On the other hand, if the problem is with the secondary line, the clog will be confined to just one area in your home.
What are the signs that there is a problem with your main sewer line?
One of these warning signs that you need to watch out for is water backing up out the drain. Sometimes, you will hear gurgling sounds from the drains. You are likely to notice these signs after using one area in your home. For example, if you notice that your toilet or the floor drain in one part of your home starts percolating after you used the washing machine, it is highly likely that you have a clog in the main sewer line.
If you live in a home with several trees on your property, you have to watch out for pipes that have been crushed by the roots of the trees. Two tell-tale signs of this problem are gurgling sounds and the sluggish flow of drains.
On the other hand, if you live in a relatively new home and you notice these signs, the probable cause of this problem is clogging due to products like toilet paper and feminine hygiene products blocking the sewer line.
What should you do if you notice these signs in your home? It is important to release the pressure that has built up in the sewer line. To do that, you need to shut off the water at the main and then remove the cleanout cap. Avoid using chemical-based drain cleaners as these may cause more harm than good.
If you are hiring a Fox Valley sewer company and their employees cannot find the cause of the problem, they might recommend a sewer line camera inspection to pinpoint the underlying cause of the issue.