Every home and commercial building that uses the city sewer system has a sewer line to connect all of the drains indoors to the city main. And because this included toilet drains, you are sure to want to know how to detect a leak in your home’s sewer line. Nothing is worse than the thought of dirty water and raw sewage leaking into your yard, except that same sewage backing up into your home. So these four common indications of a sewer line leak are something that most homeowners commit to memory.
Slow Clearing Drains
A single slow drain could mean a clog. And in many cases, the solution is a plunger or a cup of baking soda followed by a cup of vinegar. But when you find that multiple drains are slow to clear or toilets are not flushing completely, the issue is often located at the sewer line. While it could still be a sewer line clog causing the problems, the only way to know for sure is a sewer line camera inspection by a licensed plumber. Regardless of the issue, your plumbing pro will be able to get it corrected and eliminate your drain line concerns.
Odd Odor Or The Smell Of Gas
There should never be any foul odor, or any odor for that matter, emanating from your home’s drains. That nasty smell is more than just offensive. It can be deadly. Sewer gas is toxic and should never be in your home. Call your licensed plumber to request emergency sewer line service as soon as you get a waft of sewer line gas in your home.
Unexplained Mold And Mildew
Most people can smell mold and mildew before they see it. If you notice a dank, musty odor in places that never had it before, like the basement, you could have a sewer line break. The smell and the moisture that is fostering mold growth are due to the backed-up sewage. Most homeowners will agree that sewer line repairs do not make good DIY projects. A call to a licensed plumber is the best option for a professional and worry-free solution.
Have You Noticed An Unusual Infestation?
If you suddenly see bugs and even rodents that were never present before, you could have a sewer line leak. Both of these undesirable creatures are very opportunistic. And they are also fond of sewers. So when there is sewage leaking in your yard or home, they come in search of the familiar aroma. Even a tiny crack will allow enough sewage to escape to entice these unwanted guests into your home.
What To Do Next
The only way to know what is going on inside your sewer line is a camera inspection. The pros at Flatirons Plumbing will deploy a tiny waterproof camera into the sewer line to inspect for clogs, damage, and leaks. Once the inspection is completed, we will provide you with a list of any detected damage and our recommended plan of action to correct it.
If the damage is minimal or limited to a small area, a repair is typically the course of action. However, if the entire sewer line is old, damaged, or beginning to deteriorate, a sewer line replacement will be the most cost-effective and long-term solution. Fortunately, our experts can perform both of these essential repairs using trenchless techniques that limit the damage to your property and the repair cost.
Call (720) 650-2455 at the first sign of any issue with your home’s sewer line. Fast action is the best way to avoid a costly and messy backup of raw sewage in your home.
