Uh-Oh! Time To Call For Plumbing Service | Brookhaven, GA
The main sewer line is the main drainage component of your home to which the drainage network of your home is connected. Other components include plumbing fixtures, such as toilets, sinks, tankless water heaters and various appliances. Many factors, including the improper use of plumbing fixtures, can gradually damage the main sewer line. Eventually, the main sewer line may clog up severely or collapse and require extremely costly repair and replacement.
One effective way for homeowners in Brookhaven, GA, to avoid the cost and inconvenience of repairing or replacing their main sewer line and tankless water heaters is by learning the causes and warning signs of main sewer line clogs.
Common Causes of Clogs in the Main Sewer Line
Many Brookhaven, GA homeowners have experienced plumbing and drainage issues such as a sluggish drainage system or malfunctioning tankless water heaters. A clog in one plumbing fixture is inconvenient but is usually easy to fix. However, when the entire drainage network in your home backs up, you have a serious problem. The cause may be a sewer drain clog, which you fix by having a plumbing service perform drain clearing. If that fails, you may need to repair or replace the sewer drain or just a section of it.
Severe Pipe Damage
Ruptured or broken sewer pipes hinder the proper drainage of sewage through the system and cause frequent backups. Common causes of damage to the sewer pipe include:
A rupture in the sewer pipe resulting from shifting soil or the heavy activity of the ground above
A collapse or breakage of the pipe due to corrosion
Leaks joint resulting from broken seals between pipe sections, leading to the escape of sewage and water
Sewer lines also tend to sag over time due to the shifting conditions in the ground. Waste accumulates in the lowest section of the sag, resulting in frequent clogging.
Flushing Debris or Grease Down the Toilet
You can damage your plumbing and drainage system by flushing some things down the toilet. These include facial tissues, baby wipes, scouring pads, grease, diapers and more. Human waste and toilet paper are the only things that you should flush down your toilet.
Grease, oil and fats are some of the worst culprits of clogged drainage systems. Never pour them down a drain. Instead, dispose of hot grease, fats, or oils by pouring them into a container and throwing away the solidified chuck that forms after cooling.
Contrary to what many homeowners in Brookhaven, GA believe, running hot water from your tankless water heater when pouring grease down a drain does not help at all. Sure, doing so liquefies the grease as it goes down the drain. However, when it cools, it solidifies into a hard, sticky chunk that clings to the side of drainage pipes and clogs them, requiring professional plumbing service to unclog them.
Tree Root Infiltration
Older sewer lines are made of porous material, such as clay, and the joints are not as tight as those in modern PVC pipes. The roots of trees and shrubs search for water as they grow. They may latch onto a nearby sewer line and infiltrate the spaces between the joints to access the water inside. As the roots grow larger, they can break the sewer line.
Signs That Your Main Sewer Line May Have Serious Issues
Here are a few warning signs to look out for to detect a clog in your sewer before it becomes severe and extremely costly and inconvenient to repair.
A Clogged-up Drain or Sewer Line
You may be tempted to use a liquid drain cleaner to try and fix a backed-up drain or sewer line. However, plumbing experts strongly recommend against doing so. Instead, call a reliable plumbing service to fix your drainage system and inspect other plumbing fixtures, such as tankless water heaters. If that turns out to be the problem, detecting and fixing it early saves you hundreds of dollars in extensive sewer line repairs or replacement down the line.
Multiple Clogged up and Malfunctioning Plumbing Fixtures
Clogging in several plumbing fixtures at the same time is a strong indication that the main sewer line may be clogged. Another sign that there may be a blockage in your main sewer line is your toilet functioning in unusual ways:
Backups in your shower or tub whenever you flush the toilet
Faulty tankless water heaters
Bubbling in the toilet bowl
Gurgling sounds when you flush the toilet
If you notice these problems, call your plumbing service to inspect the sewer line and tankless water heaters.
Noticeable Changes on Your Lawn
The sewer line passes under your front lawn to connect your home’s plumbing system to the municipal sewage system. Drainage problems in the sewer line may affect your lawn in some ways. A broken sewer line may create an indentation on your lawn. A soggy patch on the lawn after it snows or rains may be a sign of drainage problems in the sewer line.
Repair Options for a Clogged Sewer Line
Only certified plumbing professionals have the training, experience and equipment needed to handle plumbing service repairs of your sewer line, tankless water heaters and other components of your plumbing and drainage system.
For example, they may use an in-line video inspection camera to inspect the sewer line without going the costly and inconvenient way of digging it up. The camera captures images of the problem area and a radio transmitter identifies the price location of the problem.
Once your plumbing service determines what the problem is with your sewer line, they will use traditional or trenchless methods to repair or replace the sewer line. Traditional methods involve digging up the area to access the site of the problem in the sewer line. The plumbing service then refills the dug-up area once repairs are complete.
On the other hand, trenchless repair methods involve making smaller holes into both sides of the clogged section of the sewer line. Then, the plumber pulls a new pipe through the existing pipe, which bursts into pieces as the new pipe occupies the space. Trenchless methods are much less messy, but traditional methods are necessary depending on the configuration of the drainage network and the extent of the problem.
Use a Trustworthy Plumbing Contractor for Your Sewer Line Repair Needs
Whichever method is necessary to repair your clogged main sewer line, tankless water heaters and other plumbing components, you want a reliable and experienced plumbing service handling the job. Besides being skilled and experienced, your plumber must have the necessary tools and equipment to perform the repair safely, effectively and efficiently so that you can quickly get back to using your tankless water heater and other plumbing components. If you notice the warning signs listed in this article, call Peach Plumbing & Drain today and schedule a free plumbing service inspection.