Tag: main line sewer stoppage

Is a Main Line Sewer Stoppage Backing Up Your Home?

Posted on | by Drainiacs

Do you suspect a mainline sewer stoppage?    A mainline sewer stoppage, or sewer drain clog as it’s also called, is a serious issue.  It is considered a top plumbing emergency!  A mainline stoppage occurs in the main sewer line that connects your home plumbing to either a septic tank or your city’s municipal sewer system.  If this line becomes clogged, gray, or used water from your home drain system begins to back up and will eventually start to seep back through your drains in any way possible, and yes, this is often quite a gross site to see!  It can also be extremely hazardous to you and your family for a multitude of reasons, such as bacteria and water damage (which leads to mold and other harmful bacteria).  So if you suspect a sewer drain clog, you need to get it cleared immediately!

FIRST THING TO NOTE:

IF YOU SUSPECT A SEWER DRAIN CLOG, STOP ANY USAGE OF YOUR HOME PLUMBING UNTIL THE CLOG IS REMOVED!  THIS CAN MAKE THE PROBLEM MUCH WORSE!

 

The following are a few ways to confirm that you do in fact have a mainline sewer stoppage, as well as a list of some of the most common causes of mainline sewer clogs and a few options you have to help solve your problem and clear the clog before it gets worse!

CONFIRMING A MAINLINE SEWER CLOG

  • The most common sign of a sewer clog is the backup of multiple fixtures in your home at the same time.  Normally you will notice it first with your toilets, since they have a direct path to the sewer, but also in your tubs and showers since they sit lower than any sinks and other fixtures in your home.
  • Another common sign of sewer stoppages is strange reactions that occur when using certain fixtures in your home.  For example, if you flush the toilet and your tub or shower drain backs up; If you turn on the bathroom sink and you see bubbles in the toilet or the toilet begins to fill; Or if you run your washing machine and when it begins to drain, nearby toilets overflow or you notice a back up in other nearby fixtures.
  • A final way to confirm a sewer stoppage (AND THE BEST WAY TO DETERMINE IF IT IS ACTUALLY A SEWER CLOG AND NOT JUST A SIMPLE DRAIN CLOG) is by checking your sewer clean-out.  A sewer clean-out can most often be found on the exterior of a home; it is a 3-4 inch pipe protruding from the ground with a visible cap.  Once you remove the cap, if water is visible, either flowing, overflowing or standing, you definitely have a problem!

NOTE: A lot of older homes DO NOT have sewer clean-outs, and often in many homes that DO have sewer clean-outs, they are obstructed by landscaping.  Knowing where your sewer clean-out is, is very important, and if you do not have a sewer clean-out, we strongly recommend getting one installed.

MAIN CAUSES OF MAINLINE SEWER STOPPAGES

There are many causes of mainline stoppages, but the following are some of the most common:

  • Years of built-up, sludge, grease, and grime
  • Foreign objects that easily become obstructions
  • Growing tree roots spreading through the pipes
  • Broken or dislocated pipes
  • Or, if your home has a septic tank, an overfilled tank

NOTE: If your home has a septic tank, you probably just need to get it flushed.

SOLUTIONS FOR CLEARING A MAINLINE SEWER STOPPAGE

Often we are asked if it is the city’s responsibility to take care of these types of mainline stoppages, and the not-so-straight-forward answer is, it depends.  If the problem is within the lateral sewer line, it is actually the homeowner’s responsibility.  If you have tried everything, but the clog persists, it might actually be located within the municipal pipe and would then be the city’s issue.   This is something you really wouldn’t know until after a thorough inspection.

 

To clear a sewer drain clog though, you will need a sewer drain snake.  You can either rent one from your local hardware store or call a professional plumber.  I recommend calling a professional plumber, and I promise it’s not just because I am one, but because a professional plumber has the tools not only to unclog your sewer but to also check for the cause and completely clear the pipes so the problem does not persist.  (Just make sure he’s a licensed plumber!)

 

To give you an example as to what I mean, picture a completely blocked pipe.  A drain snake will poke and prod away until it creates a few small holes in the blockage for the water to flow through.  This will often solve your problems of water back-ups in your home, however, depending on the situation, but more often than not, the problem will persist and will frequent often.  The reason for this is because the pipes were not completely cleared.

 

A professional plumber can use their technologies, such as a sewer camera, to inspect your pipes to find the cause of the problem.  If it’s tree roots, they have a tool to cut them.  If its years of built-up sludge, and grease, and grime, they can use a hydro-jetting machine to flush it all away.  If it’s a foreign object they can locate it to remove it.  If it is a broken or dislocated pipe, they can fix it.  I’m sure we all get the picture now.  So next time you suspect a mainline sewer clog, don’t wait until it’s too late!  Now that you know what to look for and what to do, get it fixed quick!

 

 

Root Intrusion & Drain Clogs

Posted on | by Drainiacs

Trees are beautiful for landscaping around your home and provide lots of shade during hot summer months, but beware! The roots from these beauties are the number one cause of sewer line damage in homes and are definitely the most expensive sewer maintenance problem as well.  These roots can cause major backups in your system, or worse case scenario, can even cause a complete collapse of your system. Learn how to prevent and maintain your pipes from this damage, or, if you’re already experiencing a problem, learn what you need to do to stop these roots from causing any further damage.

Root Intrusion & Drain Clogs
Root Intrusion & Drain Clogs

How do roots get into my pipes in the first place?

A tree’s roots are actually made up of a couple different parts; the larger more permanent roots, located closer to the base of the tree, are for support and stabilization, and the smaller, more hair-like roots which travel away from the tree, are for water and nutrient absorption.  When water travels through your pipes, its warmth radiates vapors in the piping, but if a small crack or leak is apparent, or if any of the joints are loose, these vapors radiate out into the soil surrounding the pipe.  The small hair-like roots of the tree attract toward these vapors and enter the pipes at these small cracks and leaks or loose joints looking for water and nutrients.  This is mostly apparent during hot summer or drought periods, or extremely cold winter months when there is no rain.

How do the roots affect my pipes though?

The hair-like roots will begin to grow within the pipe and form masses surrounding each point of entry.  As you continue to use your sinks & showers, debris from your drains flows through these pipes trying to make its way to the main sewer line, but like a net, the roots become a catchall for this debris and slowly begin to clog your pipes causing backups and reduced flow in your drains. If not taken care of, these roots can cause a complete blockage in your drains, or worse, the roots will expand putting lots of pressure on the crack where they entered, causing the pipe to break and a complete collapse of your pipes to occur.

 What do I do if I’ve already noticed my drains begin to slow?

Since the problem is underground and out of sight, it is usually kept out of mind until it’s too late.  Slowing of your drains and gurgling from your toilets though, are the two biggest indicators of root intrusion in your pipes.  Your best bet is to call a local plumber as soon as possible, like Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer, to come check out the problem.  Often a sewer camera inspection can help determine the extent of the damage; If the damage is minor, a plumber can remove the roots by using a root saw or a high pressure flushing system, but if the damage is severe, where the pipes are structurally damaged, they might require complete replacement.

How can I prevent roots from entering my pipes?

The best way to prevent root intrusion is first, to make sure that when you plant or re-plant trees and other shrubs around your home, that you find out where your sewer lateral pipe is located, the pipe that connects your home plumbing system to the main sewer line, beforehand, and make sure to plant at least ten (10) feet away from it.  Second, is to schedule a regular cleaning of your sewer lateral pipe.  Once roots have already entered your pipes though, and once you have had them cut or cleaned out, it is important to keep up with this maintenance because when cut from the inside of the pipe, the root is still located at the same entry point and will continue to grow eventually causing a major break of the pipe.

Since the sewer line is located in city property though, wouldn’t they have to take care of it?

Keep in mind that although the sewer line is generally located in the street, which IS city property, homeowners are still responsible for maintaining their sewer lateral pipe that connects their home plumbing to the sewer line.

Summing everything up, what is the overall story about root intrusion in my pipes?

Overall, roots can cause a lot of damage to your home plumbing system, and if not taken care of correctly, will eventually end up causing a complete collapse of your system.  So make sure to get your drains inspected and cleaned regularly (we recommend scheduling an appointment at least once a year) and make sure to take care of any problems as soon as they occur.  Waiting to fix these problems will only cause you bigger and way more extensive and expensive problems in the future.