Do You Have Problems with Your Sewer Line?

Broken sewer line

No one likes to think about potential problems with their sewer line: the mainline that connects all of the drains on your home to the main civic sewer line. The good news is that most sewer lines are buried beneath the earth, which protects them from wear and tearĀ from the weather and other forms of damage. But everything wears out eventually, and problems can affect your sewer line regardless of its protected position.

When that happens, you need to move fast: shutting off the plumbing and calling in a professional plumbing service to diagnose the problem. There are reasons to be hopeful in such a situation, and modern plumbers can use trenchless technology to fix any sewer line problems without having to embark on an expensive excavation project. Before that happens, however, you need to be able to spot the signs that there’s a problem, and while formal diagnosis should be left to the professionals, you can still spot the signs that something is wrong.

SIGNS IN YOUR YARD

A leak or clog in your sewer line will most often evince trouble in your yard, which you can spot with a thorough look. They can include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Leaks can result in strange puddles forming in your yard, usually without a readily apparent source. In some cases, they can have an odd smell to them. Regardless, they usually spell trouble.
  • Greener Trees and Shrubs. Discharge from a leaking sewer line will often provide fertilizer for nearby plants. In some cases, tree roots can even infiltrate your sewer line and cause a clog. Regardless, look for vegetation in your yard that is greener than the others: feeding on leaks in the sewer.
  • Strange Smells. There’s no pretty way to say it: smells from a damaged or leaking sewer line can be distinct, and will likely have no visible source.
  • Divots and Sinkholes. When the soil is flooded with liquid discharge from a leaking sewer line, it can be displaced very easily., This can create divots in your yard, which are visible to the naked eye, In the most serious instances, it can result in a sinkhole, which needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.

PROBLEMS IN THE SYSTEM

Problems in the system itself usually make themselves clear by the behavior of your drains. They may be slow to drain or won’t drain at all, which isn’t uncommon for plumbing in any household. With sewer lines, the issue will likely extend across your entire plumbing system. Backflow is possible in some cases as well, as gas in the sewer line creates pressure that backs the liquid up into your drains.

In addition, look for subtle cues elsewhere that something is wrong with the sewer line. Excessive mold growth will occur in situations where sewage or moisture gets free, and in some cases, you may even see an increase in vermin such as roaches and rats in your home.

Again, it’s always a good idea to get a professional to evaluate any such problem. Here in Sandy Springs, GA sewer line issues can be dealt with by the friendly pros at Quick Action Plumbers.

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