8 Warning Signs You May Require a Sewer Cleaning Machine

All your plumbing drains, fixtures, and pipes inside your home connect to the main sewer line (the largest piece of plumbing inside of your home). Between external factors and improper use of your drains, pipes, and fixtures, the main sewer line often has to take a beating. Unfortunately, at some point, the main sewer line will likely clog and require either a replacement or some serious repair. To avoid having to deal with a significant issue or major repair, make sure you’re aware of these common warning signs that you may require a sewer cleaning machine in your near future.

Higher Water Bills
When you have a leak in your sewer line, it can waste thousands of gallons of water. Therefore, you should always look into your plumbing when you notice a huge difference in your water bill without much change in water usage.

Water Backups in Odd Places During Plumbing Usage
Do you hear water gurgling down in your shower drain when you flush the toilet? A common culprit to this issue is a clogged sewer line. When there is a blockage, the water generally goes back up to the lowest nearby point, such as a shower drain. Other signs could include the toilet water rising when you run your bathroom sink or your shower drain overflowing when you use the washing machine. When you experience a gurgling sound coming from your drains, it’s your plumbing systems way of talking to you. Remember, clogs can occur anywhere in both the primary sewer line and secondary pipelines.

Drainage in Your Clean Out
The condition of your clean out is a sure fire way to diagnose whether your sewer line is or is not clogged. If you have water or sewage waste backed up in your clean out, we can nearly guarantee you have a clog. The reason you will know there is an issue is because water or waste should not be in this section of your system. Therefore, if you find anything, it should immediately notify you of an issue.

Varied Water Levels in Your Toilet
Another common sign of sewer issues is when the toilet water levels fluctuate (even when you aren’t using them.) Varying water levels can be a significant red flag that you have a massive sewer line clog on the way that will require immediate assistance from a sewer cleaning machine or professional attention.

The Way Your Lawn Looks
Your main sewer line extends from your home and into the city’s sewage system. Due to this, an easy way to know if you have a problem is to look at your lawn (if you have a front lawn). If you notice any changes to the grass (such as it being soggy when there hasn’t been any form of precipitation) or an indentation somewhere in the lawn, this can be a warning sign that you have a break in the sewer line.

A Foul Stench
When waste builds up on the pipe walls, it can often give off a foul odor. This smell is especially common with the plumbing of your kitchen (such as the drain to the kitchen sink) where it deals with food waste on a regular basis. Therefore, if your pipe or drain begins giving off any bad smells, you should always look into either a plumbing cleaning service or renting a sewer cleaning machine. In the event you experience odors coming from multiple pipes or drains, you should be particularly concerned; in most cases, this indicates a problem further down in your sewer and drain system.

Mold
Along with odor, another red flag that there could be a break in your sewage lines is if mold begins to grow behind your walls. Not all mold is the same, and some only require a 55% humidity level to begin to develop. Unfortunately, a crack or break in your sewer pipe located behind the walls of your home can cause the humidity levels to increase to a suitable level for an issue with mold to begin. Therefore, if you notice any type of mold growing inside your home with an accompanying smell, you are more than likely dealing with a sewage drainpipe leak or break.

Multiple Backups in Your Plumbing
When you have several drains backed up simultaneously, it can suggest that a sewer line issue is the cause for your problems. Therefore, if you have an issue with one device (such as the shower, toilet, tub, or sink), make sure to check your other fixtures to see where they stand. When all of them are having performance issues, a typical perpetrator is the sewer line.

To learn more about warning signs, sewer cleaning machine devices, or nearly any topic concerning sewers or drains, contact our helpful plumbing experts at Duracable by calling 515-512-9817. Our skilled professionals can answer any and all of your plumbing concerns, so don’t hesitate: call Duracable today!