What To Do If You Suspect There Is An Issue With The Sewer Line On Your Property

Wastewater and sewage from your home need a way to get to the city's sewer system. The sewer line leaving your house typically runs under the yard and out to the street, where they connect to the main line. If the line is broken, plugged, or restricted in some way, you will need to have a sewer line repair service inspect the line and determine what needs to be corrected. 

Broken Sewer Lines

Old sewer lines that have been in place for years are often terracotta or concrete pipes. Over time, the pipes can crack and break, causing the sewer line to begin leaking and requiring a sewer line repair service to come and correct the problem. 

Broken pipes are not always obvious at first, but if the line is leaking, the liquid in the pipe may seep through the ground and cause puddles on the surface. If you see standing water in the yard that has a foul odor, it could be a sewer leak, and checking it right away is essential. 

A sewer line repair service can dig up the line to determine the pipe's condition, but if you are not sure where the line is, it is vital to check the site plan filed with the city when the house was built. The site plan will show where the line is, so if the water you are seeing is not in that area, you may be dealing with something else, and digging up the yard could create more problems for you.

Sewer Line Blockages

Problems with the drains inside your home can also sometimes result from sewer line issues, especially if the problem is affecting more than one drain. A blockage in the main sewer line leaving the house can cause a restriction that slows the drains and may cause water to back up from one drain into another fixture. 

Sewer line repair services may be able to use a fiber optic camera to inspect the inside of the lines and determine where the blockage is so they can determine the best way to clear it. If the sewer line outside the home has something in it or roots have grown into the line, the contractor may need to dig up the line to make the repairs. 

If the blockage is inside the home, the repair service can often use the main cleanout to access the inside of the pipes and use pressurized water or other specialty tools to break up the blockage and get the drains flowing again. Any problem with the sewer lines on your property should be addressed right away because the longer they are left unresolved, the worse the issue can get and the more expensive the sewer line repairs typically are. 

For more information on sewer lines, contact a professional near you.