Indoor plumbing is one of the most necessary features of today’s modern homes and businesses. On any given day, plumbing is used many, many times without anyone giving it a second thought. Turn the spigot, and fresh water appears. Used water disappears down a drain. It makes modern day life so easy.
That is, until something goes wrong. Slow pipes and toilet clogs are bothersome, but the worst plumbing issue you can face is when there’s a main sewer line blockage. Here are five warning signs of a main sewer line blockage:
#1 Multiple backed-up drains
Check the following water fixtures:
- Toilets
- Sinks
- Bathtubs
- Showers
If more than one drain is gurgling, moving slowly, has water backing up, or smells bad, you most likely have a main sewer line clog.
#2 Sewage backup via other pipes
Even more annoying than a clogged toilet or slow drain, is when your toilets and wastewater start backing up into other pipes. For instance, when you run the washer, the water could come up in your kitchen sink. This quickly becomes a problem, as it makes your plumbing unusable, and can lead to unsanitary conditions.
In this case, you already have a blocked main sewer line. Since EK Contractors offers 24-hour emergency service, we are available night or day.
#3 The constant need to plunge
If it seems you’re experiencing more toilet clogs than you used to, that’s an indication that the real problem might be further downstream in your drainage system. The same is true with the kitchen sink. Is it clogging or running slowly more often than it used to? The fact is that if there is one or more slow moving drains, that’s the best indicator that the source of the problem is a clogged sewer.
#4 Sewage in the floor drain
If the main sewer line is clogged, all the sewage and waste water sitting in the pipes must go somewhere. This means that eventually, it will force its way into a secondary drain.
#5 Drainage around the sewer clean out
Many property owners are not even aware of what a sewer clean out is. It’s a pipe that extends to the exterior of the home or building. It is available to be used by a plumber to clear out blockages in the main sewer line. They can also be located in the basement. If the sewer cleanout is showing signs of drainage around it, this is another significant sign of a clog.
Problems with the main sewer line can be serious (not to mention costly), so it’s better to be safe than sorry – if you notice any warning sign, call us immediately. One benefit of having one of our professional plumbers tackle this tough job, is their ability to make a lasting repair that’s effective and keeps your place of business or home safe. Additionally, we can use video inspection and trenchless sewer repair that lets us find the cause of the main line clog and ensure it is thoroughly corrected with minimal disruption to your home.
I appreciate what you say in the section "The constant need to plunge" about the blocked drain problem being further down the drainage system. I have been having a lot of problems with slow draining toilets and sinks. It may be time to go seek out a plumbing service.
I found it interesting how you mentioned how sewage in floor drains can be a sign of main sewer line blockage because all the sewage goes to a secondary drain instead. My wife and I are in the process of remodeling our home and we have noticed an interesting odor coming from our floor drains. After further investigation, we found out that our floor drains are full of sewage. Because I want to make sure our home is ready for guests for our retirement party, I will keep this in mind as we search for an exterior water excavation service who can fix our main sewage line!
Thank you for explaining that if you’re experiencing more frequent occurrences of toilet clogs that it takes you several flushes to drain your toilet means that there could be serious problem farther down. This should alert my mom to have the Sacramento household’s septic tank and sewer checked for problems. She wouldn’t want the toilet to back up in the middle of her weekly high-society matron balls, especially with the reputation she’s trying to uphold.
Thanks for pointing out that the fact is that if there are one or more slow-moving drains, that’s the best indicator that the source of the problem is a clogged sewer. I think that I might need to call a plumber to get my sewer drain cleaned because a lot of my drains have been getting clogged lately and it’s happening so often that it’s starting to become pretty time-consuming. I think that getting my drains cleaned would help make sure that I can stop dealing with so many clogs and it would probably help prevent them for a while too which would be nice.
Its good to know that there’s a reason behind our toilet and kitchen sinks clogging in the recent days. After using plungers multiple times with no good results I was going to call the plumber to come out and check our pipes. Now, I’m going to call the city to ask if the drains are clogged before I waste my money on an expensive plumber.
That’s good to know that if you have more clogs than normal that might be a sign that you have an issue further down the pipes. I would think that would be pretty hard to fix with no equipment or experience. I’ll have to consider getting someone to take a look at my pipes if that happens to my toilet.
Thank you for explaining that if you need to plunge a lot, the real problem is further downstream. Due to this, I think it would be important to hire a professional because they’ll be able to identify where the clog is with minimal damage and invasion. I’ll have to look more into drain cleaning for sure.
Thank you for explaining that if you need to plunge a lot, the real problem is further downstream. Due to this, I think it would be important to hire a professional because they’ll be able to identify where the clog is with minimal damage and invasion. I’ll have to look more into drain cleaning for sure.
It was helpful that you mentioned multiple blocked-up drains can signify that you have something backing up your sewer mainline. I have been noticing that the toilets in my home are getting backed up more frequently and I have been wondering what the cause of it could be. I would love to get in touch with a Main Line Troubleshooting service in the Morehead NC area to see if I’m at risk of any damages.
It was helpful that you mentioned multiple blocked-up drains can signify that you have something backing up your sewer mainline. I have been noticing that the toilets in my home are getting backed up more frequently and I have been wondering what the cause of it could be. I would love to get in touch with a Main Line Troubleshooting service in the Morehead NC area to see if I’m at risk of any damages.
I noticed that my sink and my toilet are both backed up, and I’m not sure what to do. I didn’t know that this could be a problem with the sewer line. Maybe it would be a good idea to get a professional to try and help out with this.
It is not easy to determine the main problem in the sewer. Calling a professional would be a great idea.
It’s good to know that you could have a drain problem if you have a constant need to plunge. My wife and I have been having problems with plunging our drains. We’ll be sure to look further into our options for having a professional come and unblock our drains in the future.
That’s good to know that if you need to plunge the toilet a lot that it would be good to get it cleaned out. I would think that would be a good way to make sure that it is all clear. I’ll have to consider getting someone to do that for me.
Thanks for explaining that if two of your drains are clogged or gurgling, it probably means the blockage is in the main drain. Recently, I moved into a new home, and I’ve noticed lots of different problems with the toilets and sinks. I’ll have to look into sewer cleaning.
My drains have been clogging a ton, and I’m not sure what the problem is. It makes sense that it might be a blockage in the sewer line! Maybe it would be a good idea for me to get a professional to fix this for me. They would be able to ensure that everything is taken care of properly.
It’s interesting to know that if you noticed water backing up from your sink, you need to call a plumber immediately. My husband owns a restaurant, and we are looking for advice about sewer maintenance. I will recommend him to call a plumber for a checkup to prevent future problems.
My husband and I are starting our business soon, so I wanted some maintenance tips. I didn’t know if your toilets and sinks are clogging more than usual, you probably have a blockage somewhere down the pipe. I’ll have to keep that in mind to find a plumbing contractor that can advise me on new fixtures before winter hits, thanks to this post!
I appreciate that you talked about how you might need to clean out your sewer line if you notice that your toilet has been frequently clogging. The toilet at my uncle’s house seems to get clogged no matter what is flushed, and I think that there might be some sort of plumbing issue that might be causing the issue since he doesn’t clean his sewer line. I’ll let him know that he should consider hiring a service that can ensure that his sewer line is functioning properly.
My daughter recently brought to my attention that her bathroom sink is starting to drain very slowly and is nearly backing up. It’s good to know that this can be a sign of serious drainage issues. Your article does a good job of explaining why it’s important to get these issues fixed ASAP.
I like how you suggested checking your toilet for issues if the water is backing up. My brother has been telling me about how his toilet has been overfilling, and he wants to get it fixed. I’ll share this with him so that he can look into his options for professionals who can help with that.
The rain kept on pouring last night that caused our main sewer lines to clog. One of my neighbors mentioned that there is a lot of trash being drained and we need to call a sewer line service provider to clean it before it can cause huge damage to our properties. Thanks for your advice that the main sewer line must be cleaned out to clear out the blockages, it is a big help. Cheers!
I’m constantly needing to plunge my toilet. There might be an unseen clog that needs to get taken care of. I’ll have to hire a plumber to come and fix this for me.
Thank you for sharing the signs of a main sewer line blockage. It was helpful when you mentioned that wastewater will start backing up through the pipes. My husband and I are new homeowners. We will have to pay attention to our pipes so we can get them cleaned out before a major problem builds up.
I would never have thought that a sign that there is a problem with sewage being clogged is that the toilets are getting constantly clogged. Coincidentally, I have had to plunge my toilets a couple of times this past week. It would probably be a good idea to contact a plumber and see if there are any problems with my sewage line.
I would never have thought that a sign that there is a problem with sewage being clogged is that the toilets are getting constantly clogged. Coincidentally, I have had to plunge my toilets a couple of times this past week. It would probably be a good idea to contact a plumber and see if there are any problems with my sewage line.
There might be a problem with our sewer line. A lot of the drains in the house are going down slowly. I’ll have to go out and get the help of a professional for this.
My bathroom shower, toilet, and sink have all been getting clogged, and I have no idea what to do about it. It makes sense that this could be a problem with the sewer! I should definitely contact a plumber to handle this for me, because I don’t have the tools or experience to take care of a sewer clog.
My uncle noticed that he’s been going to the bathroom a lot lately to clear his clogging sink and toilet. I find it concerning that this is actually a sign of a sewer line problem, and not just within his bathroom. I’ll recommend that he contact a plumber who can figure out and fix this issue for him.
Plumbers describe the warning signs that your main sewer line is clogged, provide tips on unclogging the line, and Tree roots are the primary cause of a clogged sewer line, especially in an older home. Excellent writing! We can take away a lot of important information from this article. Keep sharing great posts.
The most common red flags, sewer main cleaners say, are water backing up out of a drain or the toilet plumbing, The way you discussed the topic with ease and completeness is really amazing. Thanks for this article!
It’s great to know that more than one drain gurgling and slowly draining means that there could be a big issue with the plumbing. My brother is having some plumbing issues in his home right now. He wants to get them fixed up properly by a professional before the end of the week so that his family can use the sinks again.
It makes sense that the drains need to empty somewhere, even if the main line is clogged. That’s how you get flooding in your home through the drains. My brother is having some plumbing issues right now so he needs to find a local plumber that can offer some more solutions for him.
It never would have occurred to me that constantly needing to plunge can be a sign that a building’s main sewer line is clogged. As far as I know, there are contractors that can use cameras to identify where a clog is. Using a camera makes a lot of sense because then all of the pipes won’t need to be ripped out of the ground.
I never realized that the toilet and other wastewater systems can actually back up the other pipes in the home. My cousin is struggling with some plumbing issues in his office right now. He wants to find a local contractor that can help him get the pipes cleared out so they are working properly again without major issues.
I have no clue what a sewer cleanout is so I don’t know what I’d do without a professional’s help. There is no reason for me to risk putting something in the sewer. I’ll just lay it safe and hire a professional to do it for me.
All of the drains in my bathroom are clogged, and I’m not sure what to do about it. It makes sense that it could be an issue with my sewer getting clogged! Maybe it would be a good idea for me to get a professional to help me out with this. They would be able to ensure that this gets fixed right.
That’s good to know you have a problem if you have to plunge a lot. It would be nice to not have to do that. I’ll have to consider hiring a plumber.