A damaged sewer line is one of the most serious problems that can affect a home’s plumbing system. Repairing or replacing a sewer line is not only expensive, but sewer issues can also cause major damage to a house or pollute the ground around it. That’s why you should make sure you know how to spot all of the most common signs of sewer line issues so that you can get professional help before the problem worsens.
Frequent Sewage Backups
One fairly certain sign that your sewer line is damaged as a result of something like the soil around it shifting or tree roots getting inside it is if it frequently backs up and needs to be cleaned. A backup is when a sewer line doesn’t drain properly and eventually leads to sewage coming out of some of a home’s drains. Backups most commonly happen because the sewer line is clogged as a result of flushing items like wet wipes and feminine hygiene products or a buildup of fat and grease inside the line.
Cleaning the sewer line by using a mechanical drain auger will eliminate the clog and ensure the line drains as it should. Unless you’re constantly flushing wipes on a daily basis, there’s very little chance of your sewer line quickly clogging and backing up again after it’s been fully cleaned. If your sewer does back up soon again or you experience multiple backups a year, it almost always means you’re in need of sewer repair or a sewer line replacement.
Waterlogged or Soft, Spongy Soil
In addition to sewage backing up inside of your house, the other main concern when a sewer line is damaged is that it can result in sewage leaking out into your yard. One thing that’s a fairly obvious indicator of a sewer line leak is when there’s a patch of ground near the sewer line that’s much wetter than the rest of the lawn or has standing water. A similar issue is if you notice a patch of ground that feels soft and spongy when you walk on it.
Lush, Green Spot in Your Lawn
Under normal circumstances, all of the grass and vegetation in a yard should look mostly the same and grow at the same rate. However, a sewer line leak can often lead to the grass or vegetation in a nearby area growing faster and looking greener and lusher than the rest of the yard. The reason is that the leak results in the vegetation in that area receiving additional water and getting additional fertilizer from all of the waste.
Strong Sewage Odors
A leaky sewer line will also often result in you being able to smell a strong sewer odor when standing in your yard. A sewage odor outside your house could potentially mean you have a neighbor whose sewer line is leaking. This is something you can check just by walking up and down the street to see where the smell is the strongest. If the smell seems to be emanating from your yard, then you need to call for an immediate sewer inspection. The reason you want to have your sewer inspected immediately is that a crack or break in it will usually result in the line eventually clogging and sewage backing up in your house.
Increased Pest Activity
Pests like mice, rats, and cockroaches tend to migrate to areas that provides them with a steady source of food and water. They’ll also feed on almost anything, including feces. That’s why you’ll often see an increase in pest activity around your yard and potentially inside of your house if your sewer line is leaking. Pest infestations can obviously occur for various other reasons as well. Nonetheless, if you’re dealing with an increase in pests along with any of the other issues we discussed in the previous sections, it’s almost certain that your sewer line is damaged and leaking.
Slow Toilets and Drains
Slow toilets and drains throughout your house are definitely a sign of an issue with your drain and sewer system. This commonly happens when a sewer line starts to clog or as a result of the plumbing vent on the roof getting clogged and not allowing sufficient air to get drawn into the home’s drain and sewer system. Nonetheless, it can also indicate that your sewer line is damaged. Even if the line isn’t damaged, slow toilets and drains are an indication that your sewer may start backing up. As such, it’s important to schedule an inspection as soon as you can if this issue arises or you notice all of your drains and toilets often gurgle as the water goes down them.
How a Camera Inspection Can Quickly Identify Sewer Line Damage
The best option for detecting and diagnosing sewer issues is to have a professional plumbing company perform a camera inspection. This involves feeding a waterproof, fiber optic camera and cable down through the sewer line to check for things like obstructions, cracks, loose pipe fittings, and more. A plumber can easily access the sewer line during a sewage cleanout in the yard or possibly inside your house.
If you have an older home and your sewer line has never been replaced, you may not have any cleanouts. In this case, a plumber can still access the line by removing a toilet from the floor and going in through the drain underneath it. Another possibility is for them to go on the roof and go in through the plumbing vent pipe. If your sewer system is old enough that it doesn’t have any cleanouts, you can be fairly certain that you’ll need to replace it within the next few years if not now.
If your sewer line is full and backing up, the plumber will first need to use a drain auger to clear it so that everything drains. If the line is collapsed or majorly damaged, they’ll be able to tell fairly quickly without needing a camera since the auger will get stuck at some point and not make it all the way out to the sewer main in the street.
Sewer Line Repair vs. Replacement
After performing a camera inspection, the plumber will then be able to advise you on whether you need to replace your damaged sewer line or if it can be repaired. Minor issues like cracks or small holes can often be repaired just by replacing the damaged section of the line. Trenchless sewer repair is sometimes also an option that can fix minor sewer issues without needing to do all that much digging.
When determining whether a sewer line should be replaced or if it’s worth repairing, the main factors are the age of the line, what condition it’s in, and what it’s made of. If your sewer line is made of PVC pipe and doesn’t have extensive damage, then repairing it will usually be the best option. On the other hand, it’s often not worth trying to repair an old cast iron or clay sewer line. That’s because cast iron and clay pipes haven’t been used for decades and any of them that are still in use are almost certainly near the end of their life. As such, replacement is the better option in this case since it will help you avoid future sewer issues. It will also save you money since there’s really no point in paying to repair a sewer line that isn’t going to last much longer no matter what.
Whenever any issues arise with your home’s plumbing, drains, or sewer system, you can count on the experts at Snowbird Heating & Cooling for prompt, professional assistance. We’ve been serving Auburndale and Polk County, FL for more than 30 years. We take pride in providing top-notch repair, maintenance, and installation services. Whether you need a sewer line inspection or any other help with your plumbing, heating, or air conditioning, contact our expert team today.
