3 Red Flags for Clogged Sewer and Drains

The earlier you respond to warning signs of clogged sewer and drains, the better chances you have of saving yourself from the costly and damaging plumbing problems. This is of course not to mention the dangers of having wastewater hang around your home and your family and quite possibly making its way to your potable water supply. What exactly are these red flags that every homeowner should be on the lookout for?

Backed Up Drain or Toilet

Have you ever tried to flush your toilet and the water just backs up and out the bowl? Not a pretty picture at all, but that is just one way that your home plumbing system is trying to talk to you. Sometimes the water may back up to your kitchen drain, bathroom drain, or even your floor drain in the basement. All of these should alert you on the possibility of a clogged sewer or drain.

When it comes to clogging it is important to note that it does not only happen on the main sewer line but also on the secondary lines of your plumbing system. With the complex nature of your plumbing system, pipes are branching out to various locations in your home where plumbing is installed. This means that a problem in one portion of your home plumbing can eventually affect the entire system.

How do you know if the clogging is on the main line or on the secondary line? Essentially, secondary line clogging means the problem will be isolated, while a main line clogging will cause problems everywhere. For example, if you have a clogged line in your bathroom, the problem would be isolated to the sink, bathtub, toilet, or shower drains. However, if the problem is on the main line, the problem would reach your basement and even outside plumbing.

Gurgling Noises

Almost everybody knows that a gurgling noise coming from your toilet when you flush it is a sign of a clogged drain. However, not everyone knows that this is a potential sign of tree roots getting into your sewer pipes. Ask any professional plumbing service and they will tell you how dangerous these tree roots can become if not dealt with proper sewer cleaning and drain cleaning.

Letting this condition go unresolved can cause complete blockage resulting in backed up sewage water in different parts of your home. Although tree roots are the main culprit, it is not entirely impossible that the situation is worsened by paper towels, feminine hygiene products, and other materials flushed down the toilet.

Older homes have old plumbing pipes, which means that they can breakdown and allow tree roots to seep into the cracks. Sometimes, the trees crush the old pipes leaving gaps where the roots can enter the sewage line. Obviously, the only way to deal with this type of problem and prevent any untoward clogging and plumbing problems is to get the help of plumbing professionals that have experience in handling this type of problem.

Emitting Foul Odor

Do you smell foul odor in your home or your basement perhaps? You should be aware that persistent foul odor, especially one that closely resembles sewer odors is another red flag to watch out for. In fact, the foul odor can be a sign of a major problem with your drainage.

The foul odor can be traced to the different pollutants that have gone down your drain and accumulated there over a period of time. Only professional plumbers can do an accurate assessment of the extent of the problem that has resulted in the emission of foul odor in your home.

You may want to be a bit economical and try to unclog the drain on your own. However, this is not an assurance that the foul odors have completely disappeared because there is no way for you to validate if you have gotten rid of the cause. Sometimes the foul odor can also be an indication of a broken sewer pipe that needs to be replaced.

Ignoring these red flags is never a good decision. Be wise and immediately call Scott English Plumbing once you encounter any of these red flags for exceptional sewer and drain cleaning service.