We tend to take our sewer lines for granted, assuming they’ll work as designed. However, this isn’t always the case. Sewer lines will usually give notice when there’s a problem, and the notices are easy to detect if you know what to look for.

Early Warning Signs of a Sewer Leak

Before you can detect changes in your sewer lines, you need to be familiar with their usual behavior. Any or all of the following can indicate that there’s a potential problem.

Unpleasant Odors

Persistent foul odors can indicate a break in the sewer line or a broken seal.

Gurgling

If you notice gurgling noises from the toilet or drains, air may be trapped inside the line, which needs to be vented.

Slow Drains

If your drains are sluggish when you use multiple water fixtures simultaneously, you may have a clog in the main line that needs to be cleared.

Sluggish or Slow Toilets

If your toilets flush slowly or don’t flush fully, you may have a blockage that needs to be removed. Toilet blockages can result from putting things other than human waste and toilet paper into the toilet. Those are the only two items that should be flushed down the toilet, no matter what advertisers tout about their products. Feminine hygiene products, kitty litter, paper towels, and so forth should not be flushed down the toilet.

Unusually Lush Areas of Grass Outdoors

If part of your yard is verdant and lush, you may have a sewer line leak. Excrement is fertilizer, whether it’s from a human or an animal, so if one area of your yard is exceptionally green, it’s being exceptionally fertilized.

Spike in Water Bills

A spike in your water bill usually points to a fresh-water leak and not a sewer leak. However, if you see a high bill along with other sewer symptoms, you may have multiple plumbing problems happening at the same time.

Increase in Pests

If you notice a significant increase in insects or rodents, they may be accessing your home through cracks in your sewer line.

Mold

The presence of mildew or mold on ceilings or walls can indicate the presence of a crack or leak in the sewer line.

Pools of Water Around the Sewer Cleanout

If you notice water or sewage pooling around the sewer line cleanout point, it indicates a backup or blockage in the line and should be addressed immediately.

Are Sewer Line Leaks Important?

Yes. Although money may be tight for many, a sewer line leak or break is a health issue that should be addressed immediately. Not only can your local municipality fine you for ignoring it, but you and your family can also develop sickness and disease from it, no matter the area of the country where you reside.

Don’t wait to fix a sewer line leak. Call Roberson’s Plumbing & Septic in Wilson, NC for sewer line repair.