Sewer Line Issues You Should Watch Out For

The sewer line is an integral part of your plumbing system. Nonetheless, it also doesn’t get much attention unless it has a problem. Besides causing leaks and slow drains, sewer line faults can result in nasty smells and pose serious health risks. For this reason, our plumbing team at the Pipe Doctor Plumbing & Drain recommends looking out for any abnormal issues and calling for help at the first sign of trouble.

The following are the most common sewer line issues you should watch out for.

Blockage

A blockage is one common sewer line issue you should check out for. Signs of a clogged sewer line include water backup in multiple plumbing fixtures, sewage floods in the yard, and gurgling sounds in different drains. Food scraps, foreign objects, grease, and feminine products are popular culprits for causing sewer line clogs, so keep them away from your plumbing fixtures. Plumbers will use specialized cameras to identify clogs in your sewer line and apply snaking or hydro jetting in Alexandria, VA, to clear the system of blockages.

Corrosion

Besides blockages, corrosion is another prevalent sewer line problem. As wastewater flows through sewer lines, it can deposit bacteria, which produce hydrogen sulfide – a smelly, corrosive gas. When oxidized, the gas turns into sulfuric acid, which is notorious for eating away pipes. Sewer line corrosion appears in various forms, including galvanic corrosion, uniform attack, and selective leaching, all of which can cause significant damage. Regular drain cleaning to wash away bacteria forming hydrogen sulfide is critical to evading sewer line corrosion.

Aging Pipes

While many people want sewer line pipes to last many years, they cannot last forever. They will eventually age and become weak. Tear and wear over the years can also take a heavy toll on the pipes. Therefore, old pipes will deteriorate structurally after many years of service and fail to function at peak levels as before. Since repairing old piping systems is not possible, scheduling professional sewer line replacement coupled with drain cleaning services is the best remedy for aging sewer line pipes. 

Sewer Backup

Sewer backup is another notorious sewer line issue you should check out for. Backup often manifests itself in the presence of wastewater puddles in the yard, sewage-like odors in the drains, and slow draining in different fixtures. In addition, sewer backup can attract pests like flies and cockroaches, which are infamous for spreading a wide range of diseases. Drain snaking and hydro jetting services are some techniques expert plumbers use to deal with sewer backups, depending on their causes.

Tree Root Intrusion

The intrusion of your property’s sewer line by tree roots is another common issue to look out for. As tree roots grow towards soil with higher moisture content, they might come by your sewer line. As time goes by, the roots may grow in your pipes and cause blockages. Besides, roots can misalign pipes and break connections. Fortunately, a drain cleaning company can get rid of the roots using innovative plumbing technologies like trenchless pipelining, which does not need digging. Be mindful of your sewer line when planting trees on your property to elude this issue.

Sewer Line Shifting

Shifting or settling of soil around the sewer line can cause adverse effects. Shifting soil can break your pipes and disconnect links and cause leaks. In addition, settling soil can bend your pipes downward, leading to sewer bellies that can disrupt water flow. Soil bedding during installation is crucial to preventing bellies and other sewer line effects caused by shifting.

Depend on Reliable Sewer Line Pros

When you need professionals to handle your sewer line needs, you can rely on our team at the Pipe Doctor Plumbing & Drain to meet your needs. We provide various plumbing services, including general plumbing, pipe lining, sewer repair, trenchless pipe repair, drain cleaning, and water heater repair. Besides being highly trained and experienced, our plumbing experts receive continuous training to keep up with the latest techniques and tools. We are honest and offer fair, upfront pricing to let you know what you should pay before we even start the job.