5 Telltale Signs Your Sewer Line is Broken

Maintaining a property as a homeowner requires a lot of detail. Routine checks are vital, and they should involve taking care of both the exterior and the parts out of your sight, including septic and sewer lines.

If you cannot tell if your sewer line is damaged or clogged, this article is for you. Here, we highlight five ways to know if your sewer line is broken. Should any of this be the case, you will need to contact a sewer professional immediately for an inspection.

There’s a foul smell from the sewer.

Sewer lines are designed to be airtight and give off no smell in good condition. You should regard any strong, unpleasant sewer-like smell to be signs of trouble somewhere.

Your drains are either slow or clogged.

Slow or clogged drains are not unusual, but if most of the drains in your property are taking time to flow out, it could be a sign that there is a complication that could lead your sewer line to back up.

Your pipes always seem to be clogged up.

Besides a drain problem, frequent pipe clogs and backups are a sign that your sewer line is deteriorating or, worse, broken. This is especially true if you have tried to clear the pipes using home remedies, and the problem persists. Mostly, it is an indication that the problem is more significant than just sewage. Rather than using harsh chemicals to clean pipes or drains, a safer bet is requesting a prompt sewer line inspection from a professional.

There’s mold on parts of the house.

When septic or sewer lines are broken, there is a release of more moisture than usual onto your structure. This moisture typically causes mold to grow on the walls, ceilings and floors. If you have a lawn and find that some parts are hollow (as if fluid-filled), this could also indicate a problem.

In this case, the broken sewer line opens your lawn to a lot of fertilizer, and you may notice that some parts of the grass are more lush than usual. This, in addition to indentations on your lawn, is a clear cut sign that something is broken.

Cracks and Rodents

In the same way that broken sewer lines can cause dents in your lawn, a leak can cause cracks in the foundation of your structure. If you find that your walkways are sinking or concrete slabs are not leveled, the issue is most likely with a sewage leak. It is crucial to have it checked out, as wastewater may begin to gather. The bad smell may make your home uninhabitable, and worse still, sinkholes and rodents are most likely to show up. Rats and cockroaches can easily slip into your home through these cracks, and the last thing you want is an infestation.

A broken sewer line poses a lot of risk to your safety and comfort. If you are experiencing one or more of the signs mentioned earlier, it is time to get a sewer inspection.

Reach out to us at Countryside Plumbing

Reach out to us at Countryside Plumbing Sewer and Septic, , we are a 5-star rated, licensed plumbing and septic contractor in Lake County, Illinois. With our expertise and specialized CCTV equipment, you can rest assured that we will fix the issues and restore your home to good condition in no time.

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