Major Clogs Mean Major Problems
As we often cover in our blogs at Anchor Plumbing, Brevard homeowners encounter plenty of plumbing problems ever year – and most of them can be fixed with some DIY elbow grease. However, some major problems cannot be fixed without the help of a professional, licensed plumber. One such issue is a clog in the main sewer line, which takes waste water from your home to the underground sewer system. A sewer line clog is not only difficult to deal with, it’s also dangerous. When a major clog occurs, it can make raw sewage back up into your home – exposing your family to harmful bacteria, fumes, and damage to your home. If the problem isn’t fixed early on, you could encounter a complete sewer line block!
How Do You Know if Your Sewer Line is Clogged?
Avoiding the huge headache of a sewer line clog is not impossible. By watching for early warning signs, homeowners can avoid costly repairs and damages! So, how do you know if your sewer line is clogged? Paying attention to the drains in your home is the best way to catch a sewer line clog early. If multiple drains in your home begin backing up, draining slowly, or gurgling regularly, you might need to call a plumber in your area.
When the kitchen drains, toilet, shower, and other drains across your home are all being affected, it means that the problem is not a clog in a secondary line. You home has multiple drains with their own individual lines, but they all lead to the same main sewer line to drain into the major sewer system. If there is clog in just one line, it only affects one area of the home. But a main line clog will eventually start to affect all the drains in the house. If your toilet starts to gurgle when the shower runs or you’re washing clothes, you should call a plumber to come visit your pipes.
What’s Causing the Clog?
There are two major causes of main sewer line clogs with both businesses and homes in Florida, especially in Brevard. The first problem occurs with many older homes and buildings: tree roots. With older pipes, trees can grow into or around the pipes in the ground, causing your home’s sewer system to become blocked over time. In some major cases, prolonged tree root problems can end up crushing the pipe entirely, leading to a complete (and expensive) replacement of the pipes.
The second cause of sewer system blockage that occurs in newer homes and buildings is a buildup of thicker paper products that should never be flushed down the toilet. Feminine hygiene products, paper towels, and other types of problematic waste products will catch, build-up, and eventually clog the main sewer line. Keeping waste products out of your drains is a critical part of maintaining your home’s sewer system! So make sure that your house stays healthy by only putting flushable items in the toilet and other drains.
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