A clogged drain or any other sewer problem in the home is enough to ruin anyone’s day. It seems like an electrical problem is at least manageable if you have candles and a flashlight, but a burst sewage main can be wholeheartedly dreadful. Luckily, there are many solutions, but it helps to know exactly what you are looking for. If you don’t know some of the more common signs of sewer issues, it will be hard to know how to ask for help. Plus, there are many causes of a drained sewer line, so know how to spot problems is important if you want to avoid those issues in the future. Here are some common signs of drain and sewer problems.
One of the biggest problems is a strange smell. If you notice a sulfuric smell coming from your sink drains, bathtub or any other feature of your home that is attached to the main sewer line, you most likely have a big problem on your hands. This a red flag that a main sewage line has ruptured and is coming back through your other pipes and through areas where it should not be going. If you notice this problem, you want to find your main sewage valve shut off and then call an emergency plumbing service.
Another sign may be that your toilets just stop working. If you have a burst water pipe or some other major problem, there is a good chance that it will affect the toilets in your home first. So, if you are having a problem flushing toilets or if water isn’t running into your toilets – or if there is much less water than there should be in the tank – you want to have your plumbing system investigated immediately.
Next, you may also notice issues with sinks not being able to drain properly. This is especially the case with kitchen and bathroom sinks. If you can’t fix the problem by using your own tools and de-cloggers, there is a good chance that the clog is even deeper. It could be as simple as the clog is deeper than you imagined, so you will need to call a plumbing service that will use heavy-duty tools to really get to the root of the problem and remove the clog. There may also be some piping that needs to be removed if the problem is especially bad, which may be the case with some old pipes.
Lastly, you may also notice issues with brown or clouded water. If you have a major sewage problem, your water could have a green or brown hue to it. If your water stays this color as it comes out of your faucets, the problem could actually be bigger than you think. However, it could be an issue where your pipes are old and dirty and need to be flushed before you can start using them. So, make sure to run your faucets until they go clear. If they don’t, you need to call the professionals.
