A home’s plumbing system is an intricate network of devices and piping designed to ensure the proper flow of water into and the removal of waste products out of a home. A crucial plumbing component is known as the sewer line. A damaged or burst sewer line is a major plumbing emergency requiring immediate professional assistance.
Sewer Line Function
In actuality, the sewer line typically consists of a single piece of piping responsible for transporting waste materials away from a home to a main line usually located under a nearby street. In most instances, this channel is situated several feet beneath a home’s front yard.
Sewer line piping can be constructed out of various products, such as cast iron, clay, and plastics. Over time, factors including aging, soil erosion, and exposure to temperature and weather extremes could weaken this network and increase the risk for problems.
Signs Of A Deteriorating Or Burst Sewer Line
Plumbing professionals stress that sewer line maladies are often expensive to repair or replace, capable of causing serious property damage, and could even precipitate notable environmental and individual health risks. Therefore, homeowners are firmly urged to look out for signs warning of such an issue’s potential onset. Specific indicators include:
Frequent Backups
Should a home’s toilets or sinks routinely backup, the issue at hand could be some type of obstruction inside the sewer line.
Structural Property Issues
Prolonged sewer line leakage could precipitate major underground disturbances capable of weakening the impacted home’s structural integrity. Said occurrences often present themselves through visible signs like foundational cracks and settlement issues. In the most severe cases, sinkholes might even develop.
Foul Odors
One of the classic indicators of a failing sewer line is an increasingly foul odor. These stenches smell like gas or those often detected in or around garbage dumps or landfills.
Liquid Or Waste Pools In The Adjacent Yard
A leaking or burst sewer line often produces polls of liquid or waste in the impacted yard. In an appreciable number of cases, the leak or offending issue is found directly beneath these abnormal occurrences.
Insect Or Rodent Problems
Insects and rodents are often attracted to lingering waste. Therefore, the presence of these pests should prompt property owners to contact an experienced plumber to investigate the possibility of a tired or damaged sewer line.
Interior Mold Or Mildew Growth
The growth of unsightly and potentially hazardous materials like mildew and mold on internal structures such as ceilings and walls could suggest damage to sewer line piping situated inside said features.
Slow Draining
Drains that fail to clear quickly could be the first sign of a sewer line backup.
Steps To Take In A Sewer Line Emergency
Sewer line concerns often involve significant investigation. Remediating professionals often must first diagnose the problem using sophisticated equipment like underground cameras. Common types of sewer line emergencies include:
Line Obstructions
These events occur when the channel’s flow is blocked by any number of obstacles, in most cases roots from trees. Over time, such happenings will cause waste products to backup, which often results in serious untoward messes on the property or even inside the residence.
Burst Pipes
Broken pipes will no longer flow to the main sewer line. Rather, waste disperses where the breakage occurred. This could lead to backups and serious flooding containing dirty and contaminated water.
Offset Pipes
As pipes age, they could encounter damage called offsetting. This takes place when various parts of the pipe grow uneven or misaligned. Said events may precipitate obstructions or increase the chances for bursting.
Sewer line bursts, leaks or damage require immediate and aggressive attention from individuals quite versed in addressing said problems. If a homeowner experiences any of the aforementioned concerns, they are implored to contact a licensed, experienced, plumbing company with verifiable experience in sewer line repair and main sewer line replacements.