A single clogged drain is a huge inconvenience. But when your home has more than one clogged drain in it, that’s when you have serious cause for concern. When your home’s plumbing system has multiple drains that are clogged, it’s a warning sign that there are other problems deeper down in the plumbing system, like in your sewer line.
The integrity of your home’s sewer line is vital not only to your home comfort and convenience, but to your health and safety as well. Sewer lines are responsible for taking all the waste that your household produces and sending it to a treatment plant or septic tank. All it takes is a small issue with your sewer system and, before too long, you could have a sanitation problem as sewage backs up into your home or yard.
With multiple drains clogged or backed up in your home, this isn’t something you should attempt to fix yourself. You need professional drain cleaning to get to the root of the problem. And that problem is likely the main sewer line.
The Main Sewer Line
It helps to think of your plumbing system as a tree. Your main sewer line is the trunk and the individual drains and pipes are branches that are connected to the trunk. If the trunk has a major problem, it affects everything that’s connected to it.
When all the drains are clogged, it’s very likely that the blockage is somewhere in the “trunk” of the system—the main sewer line. Here are some examples of things that can cause issues with the trunk of your system.
Root Infiltration
Speaking of trees, root infiltration is probably the most common problem for homes with trees on your property, especially old trees that have extensive root growth. As trees and plants grow, their roots naturally gravitate toward the moisture, oxygen, and nutrients in your sewer line.
The roots can penetrate the tiny cracks in sewer lines to access the nutrients. Eventually, the tree roots can grow large enough to completely infiltrate the pipe and block it or break it apart entirely. You may notice unusually green patches on your lawn when this happens.
Broken Sewer Line
A beautiful old tree on your property isn’t the only thing that can break the main sewer line. Corrosion in the main sewer line pipe itself is another possibility. This is more common in older homes with old pipes.
If the ground around the sewer line has significantly shifted since being installed, the pipes can crack and collapse. This can be caused by the ground beneath your home shifting due to erosion, mudslides, and even minor earthquakes. Adding a swimming pool or patio to your home could also add undue weight that might be impeding the main sewer line.
Dirty Sewer Line:
We offer main sewer cleaning services for a good reason: to prevent a buildup of household waste that obstructs the flow of wastewater from your home. This is why you should never pour grease down your kitchen sink or flush anything other than waste and toilet paper down the toilets.
This is a service that not every plumber in our areas offers, so if you’re experiencing an issue with your main sewer line, you know who to call.
Contact Fulmer Heating & Cooling today for drain cleaning services in Columbia, SC!