We often take for granted our home’s wastewater plumbing when it’s working well. Still, a clogged sewer line represents a severe problem. A sewer drain clog qualifies as a plumbing emergency and a potential health concern. Without a clear route to the primary sewer system, wastewater may have nowhere to go but to back up through floor drains or fixtures.
Unlike a clogged sink or toilet drain, the usual problems all homeowners deal with, you cannot resolve a main sewer line clog with DIY remedies. The issue could worsen if you try to tackle it by yourself. The sooner you recognize the warning signs, the better. A clog in the main sewer line that goes unnoticed can lead to costly repairs, but it can also expose your family to contaminated water.
Clogged Sewer Lines – What to Look For
Here are some signs that you may be facing a clog in your main sewer drain line.
Multiple Fixtures Clogged
One of the most apparent signs of a sewer drain clog is when more than one plumbing fixture (toilets, sinks, bathtubs, showers) backs up at the same time. If more than one of these drains is slow-moving, gurgling, has a foul smell, or has water backing up, most likely there is a clog in the main sewer.
Drainage in Sewer Cleanout
The sewer cleanout is a covered, upright pipe that plumbers use to clear the sewer line with. If you see sewage standing in or draining out of the sewer cleanout, that means the water can’t drain, and the line is blocked.
Sewage in Floor Drain
If your main sewer line is clogged, wastewater and sewage sitting in the pipes have nowhere to go. Therefore, the sewage will eventually force its way into a secondary drain. When this happens, you’ll soon be able to see (and smell) sewage coming up from the floor drains.
Water Backs Up in Shower When Toilet Flushes
Water flowing through one drain can cause gurgling in another household drain. For example, when you flush the toilet, water gurgles in the sink or shower drain, or when you run your washing machine and the toilet gurgles.
What To Do If You Have a Clog In Your Main Sewer Drain
First of all, don’t run the water or flush the toilet. If you keep adding water to your drain system, you may make the problem worse. As a precaution, you can shut off the main water supply to the house, so no one runs the water by accident. Second, don’t try to tackle the blocked sewer by yourself.
Clearing a clogged sewer line is a job for a professional plumbing contractor. They can remove the blockage and identify what caused it so that you can avoid the same problem in the future. Also, they can replace an old pipe with a new one that’s less likely to clog.
Don’t Risk It – Call a Professional in North Metro Atlanta
If you require a clogged sewer line repair in North Metro Atlanta, don’t look any further; call Plumb Medic LLC. With over 18 years of experience in handling sewer line repairs, our technicians can cable your line and follow up by running a camera so you can see what is going on inside your drain system. Also, we offer 5% off to first-time clogged sewer line repair in North Metro Atlanta!
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