3 Signs Your Homes Sewer & Drain Pipes Need Repaired

The sewer and drain system of a house/building is an essential part of the plumbing of said building and must never be taken for granted. Imagine that there is no system to carry away dirty water from your dish washing or laundry or worst of all flushed toilet?

Your home will be exposed different health hazards due to the wastewater and solid waste from the mentioned activities and more. Thankfully, however, an efficient plumbing system ensures that from the indoor fixtures to drains and sewer, everything is properly connected and runs off to where it ought to.

For things like sewers and drains, signs that something is wrong are not usually very obvious. It is therefore the responsibility of every homeowner or renter to be deliberate about keeping an eye on every aspect of their space to be able to catch faults early and nip them in the bud. Early detection and repairs prevent hazardous conditions and severe damage which often leans to expensive repairs.

Visit this site: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/  for tips on how to manage sewage overflow at home.

That being said, one would ask what signs to look out for since faults to these elements in the plumbing system of a home is not easily noticeable. We will provide the answers…

Signs to Look Out for

The following are 3 major signs that tell you that something is wrong with your sewer and drain systems. Once you see these signs, make sure you all get a professional look into it immediately.

Slow Drains or Frequent Clogs

It is normal for kitchen sinks or bathroom drains to be clogged occasionally, which lead to water draining slowly. However, if it becomes a persistent occurrence, it means that the blockage is more complicated.

The following are some of the factors that could have led to the more serious blockage: -

1. Pipe Collapse or Damage: -Older versions of cast iron or clay pipes often have the risk of corrosion, cracking and outright damage or collapse b and this can stop the outflow of liquid waste.
2. Intrusion of Tree Roots - Roots of a tree will naturally gravitate to a water source, and for that reason, they can break through some small cracks in pipes and begin to expand inside those pipes and cause severe obstructions.
3. Buildup of Grease or Debris – Waste products, grease and debris can accumulate in the pipe over time and limit the space left for water/waste to flow through.

Signs to look out for here include the following: -

1. Water backing up from toilets (after flushing), or in bathtubs or sinks.
2. More than one drain in the house is moving slowly at the same time, even after you have carried out some basic DIY draining techniques.
3. Gurgling sounds are heard when flushing toilets or draining water from kitchen sinks.

Foul Odours in Yard or Drains

An efficient and safe plumbing system is usually airtight and as such no foul smell can escape into the surroundings. But if at any time you notice a rotten-egg kind of smell, in or around your home (from the drains, yard or basement), you should investigate it.

This might mean any of the following: -

1. Dry P-Traps – In fixtures that are not often in use, the water in the P-trap can dry up which allows gases to pass through. Although this does not indicate major damage, it should be looked at nonetheless. You can click here for more details about P-traps.
2. Leaking or Broken Sewer Line – If there are breaks or cracks in the sewer lines, it will release waste materials and gases into the house or yard.
3. Issues with the Vent Pipe- There are vent pipes in every plumbing system that let out gases from the house. If these pipes are broken or blocked, the foul smell can seep back into the house.

So, if there is a persistent foul smell from close to anywhere there is a pipe or plumbing fixture, know there is cause for investigation to be sure there is no damage anywhere.

Unexplained Greener/Healthier Patch in your Yard, or Mould or Soggy Spots

Soggy Spots, Mould, or Unexplained Lush Patches in the Yard

Sometimes, the sign that there is a problem with your drain or sewer is in the yard before it shows up indoors. A leakage in your sewer line or a complete break can soak the earth and cause mould to grow, or leave an unusual, soggy patch

This can mean or lead to any of the following: -

1. A Leak in the Sewer Line – If there is a crack in a pipe buried in your yard, wastewater can leak into the earth causing wet spots and can also enable mold to grow close to the foundation of the house.
2. Nutrient Boost from Wastewater – Strange as this is, one of the consequences of a leaking sewer pipe is a supply of nutrients from the sewage that causes the grass in that area to be unnaturally green or lusher than other parts of the garden.
3. Soil Erosion – Damaged pipes keep leaking water that can cause sinkholes or depressions in the soil.

It is therefore important that you constantly look out for unwarranted marshy or wet spots on your lawn or yard or mildew or mold in basement walls especially close to plumbing lines. These can impact on the structural integrity of your home’s foundation, attract pests or contaminate the soil.

What to Do If You Notice These Signs

We think that what you should do if you see any of these signs is obvious. However, for the sake of this article, let us clearly state that you need to reach out to a pipe repair company or a certified and licensed plumber to check out the problem. These professionals have modern tools that they can use to diagnose the problem accurately and proffer the right solution.

Common Repair Solutions

Some of the common repair solutions that you can expect include the following: -

1. Relining of the pipes
2. Traditional Excavation
3. Pipe Bursting

The drain and sewer pipes in our homes are too essential to be treated carelessly; we need to maintain them so that they will serve us well.

We have shared some important signs that indicate that there is a problem with these elements of the plumbing system of our homes. Bear this information in mind as it will save you a lot of hassles, financial stress and even health issues.