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Generally, the sewer line that crosses your Rhome, TX, property and connects your home’s drain system to the municipal sewer system is the homeowner’s responsibility. Located underground, the sewer line carries all of the home’s wastewater away from the house and into the sewer system. Most people don’t give their sewer line a second thought unless there’s a problem with their home’s drains.

Like any other pipe, the sewer line, though designed to be larger in diameter than other drains in the home, is vulnerable to clogs. It can also become damaged over time due to deterioration, tree roots, or even the shifting ground. Though less common, even animals can cause damage to sewer lines. Unfortunately, a sewer line problem can affect the entire household.

When there’s a problem with the sewer system, it’s essential to contact your plumber to inspect the situation. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth specializes in a complete lineup of professional plumbing services. At the first sign of a sewer line issue, it’s a good idea to let a plumber tackle this type of plumbing issue. The following information is everything you need to know about sewer line clogs and ruptures, including why they happen and how to fix them.

Sewer Line Clogs: What Causes Them to Happen?

The sewer line is a drain pipe much like any other in your home, except that it’s a bit larger in diameter than individual drain pipes that connect to it. Each individual drain in your house washes into your home’s main sewer line. Then, wastewater travels underground through this pipe and into the city sewer system. The premise is simple enough but things can get complicated when the wastewater suddenly stops flowing through the pipe. Why might this happen?

Debris Buildup

You might be wondering if debris and waste made it through your home’s drains without causing a clog, why did it block the larger sewer line? The answer is: buildup. Debris can build up in the sewer line over time just as it can build up slowly in any drain pipe, and when it does, you need your plumbing service to clean it out.

Debris like grease, hair, and food debris can get caught in bends in the pipe. This debris might be sticky or even entwined with tree roots. More debris can get caught in the mess until it creates a large enough blockage to stop the flow of wastewater. When the water can’t flow in the direction it’s meant to, it often backs up through the home’s drains, making a terrible mess.

Tree Roots

In addition to debris, tree roots can also cause sewer line clogs. The trees that grow around your property tend to have extensive root systems. Tree roots are always on the prowl for water and nutrients. Your sewer line is loaded with both. It only takes a tiny hole or crack in the seam of your underground pipes for tree roots to infiltrate. Once inside the pipe, the roots will lap up water and nutrients while continuing to grow. Their growth can cause a major clog in the pipe.

Tree roots are definitely a problem best left to your plumbing service. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth offers sewer line clearing, so if you have a sewer line clog, our plumbing service can manage it for you. Sewer line clogs are not uncommon in Rhome, TX. Older homes with aging plumbing systems are most vulnerable to tree root infiltration because the older pipes are more susceptible to cracks and loosening seams where tree roots can enter.

Sewer Line Ruptures: Why Do They Occur?

A ruptured sewer line is generally a worse problem than a clog. A plumbing service can often clear a sewer line problem with the need for any repairs. However, if your sewer line actually ruptures or collapses, it must be repaired or your home’s plumbing system can’t function. Remember, all the wastewater from your home–water toilets, bathtubs, sinks, dishwasher, and washing machine–empties into your sewer line. If that sewer line is broken or collapsed, the water has nowhere to go but into your yard or back up the line into your home. These are messy situations, but our team of plumbers is here to help.

Tree Roots

Tree roots cause sewer lines to clog, but they can also cause extensive pipe damage, especially over time or if they’re allowed to grow unchecked. When you contact our plumbing service to remove tree roots from your pipes, we can cut through them and wash them out through the sewer system. However, unless you want us to replace the sewer line, these roots will grow back in time. Many residents of Rhome, TX, with tree root issues simply contact our plumbing service for annual sewer line maintenance, which is considerably less costly than a complete sewer pipe replacement.

Cutting through the tree roots buys the sewer line time. A sewer line infiltrated by tree roots can go on to function for years. However, the roots, as they grow, can weaken the point. At some point, the pipe can rupture or even collapse. At that point, you need Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth to repair your sewer line or replace it.

Shifting Earth

Ground shifts can also cause damage to your sewer line. As your home settles, it can affect the surrounding ground where your sewer line is located. The shifting earth may cause a problem for the pipe or leave it exposed to animals that burrow underground. These animals can also damage your sewer line pipe or water line. Since your pipe is located underground, it’s difficult to tell if the problem you’re experiencing is caused by a ruptured pipe or a clog. Our plumbing service will be able to tell you precisely what your sewer line isn’t draining. We may need to perform a camera inspection to determine what’s going on with your sewer line.

Signs of a Sewer Line Clog

There are numerous signs of a sewer line clog or rupture. If you notice these signs, don’t ignore them. The sooner you contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth for our plumbing service, the sooner we can deal with the problem and, hopefully, fix the issue before you experience backup in your Rhome, TX, house.

Wastewater Backup

If you notice puddles around your drain, especially around floor drains, you should be concerned. Puddles are warning signs that there’s a problem. If only one drain has a puddle, the issue could be a localized clog. However, if numerous drains are backing up with small puddles, it’s likely a sewer line issue, but you’ll need our plumbing service to find out.

Sometimes the situation is far worse than mere puddles. Considerable backup of wastewater can also occur. Water can back up through your drain pipes and damage flooring or even walls. The wastewater is hazardous as it’s contaminated with germs–all sorts of dangerous pathogens. The clean up can be considerable and costly. If you have more than one drain backing up or the drain closest to your sewer line (such as a floor drain) that’s backing up with a large volume of water, you need to alert our plumbing service as soon as possible for this type of plumbing emergency.

Gurgling Noises

Gurgling sounds in your plumbing system are certainly ominous noises because they’re telling you that a problem is developing. This problem can be the development of a clog or that a section of your sewer line has ruptured or collapsed. The gurgling noise is caused by air pockets within the line. You’re likely to hear the gurgling after a toilet is flushed or when the shower is running. When you hear gurgling noises, contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth so we can inspect your Rhome, TX, plumbing system and solve the issue.

Puddles in Your Yard

If the grass or ground is wet in the area where your sewer line is buried and it hasn’t rained, it could indicate a problem with your sewer line. If you have an irrigation system, you’ll want to check that too in case it has developed a leak. Another sign of a ruptured sewer line is that the grass in the area of the line will appear greener. Don’t ignore puddles in your yard. It’s a strong indication of an underground leak. Underground leaks aren’t good for your home’s foundation and they can attract unwanted pests to your property.

Slow Drains

Another common sign of a sewer line problem are slow drains. Again, if just one drain is slow, the problem may be a local one. Slow drains are a common enough drain problem for bathtubs and sinks where debris can easily begin to block the pipe. More than one slow drain usually means that the sewer line has a rupture, collapsed section of pipe, or a clog. In time, a slow drain can eventually become completely stopped up. When that occurs, the line must be cleared so that water can flow smoothly again. Ideally, you should contact our plumbing service at the first sign of a slow drain.

What Should You Do If You Have a Sewer Line Problem?

If you experience any of the signs above, you should contact Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth as soon as you can. You need a professional plumbing service to contend with this type of issue. It’s usually not possible for homeowners to know if the drain problems they’re experiencing are caused by a sewer line clog or damaged pipe. Fortunately, our plumbing service pros can deal with either situation.

When you contact our plumbing service, we’ll send a skilled plumber to your Rhome, TX, home to inspect the problem. If you’ve had tree roots before, there’s a strong possibility that you have a clog caused by tree roots again. Clogs tend to be more common in sewer lines than ruptured pipes. To clear clogs, our plumber will root out the drain using a mechanical auger with a cutting tool attached. As the router is fed through the system, it cuts through tree roots and plows through clogs. The debris from the clog can then be washed away through the drain.

Sometimes, however, the auger meets with a blockage that it can’t work through. This may not be a clog; instead, the issue could be a collapsed pipe. A ruptured or collapsed pipe requires plumbing service repair. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth can determine what is happening with your pipe. We can send in our inline camera to find out where the problem is and what the nature of the problem is. Then, we can create a plan for solving the problem.

If the sewer line is cracked or collapsed, we can either dig up the pipe and replace the damaged section or entire pipe or we can perform inline trenchless repairs. Inline repair isn’t always possible depending on the nature of the damage. We can discuss the repair possibilities with you after carefully inspecting your sewer line. Digging up your yard to access your sewer line is a major repair. It involves earth-moving equipment and our skilled plumbing service crew.

If you suspect that you have a sewer line issue at your Rhome, TX, home, contact our plumbing service right away. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing of Fort Worth has a reputation for outstanding customer service. We will bring everything needed to provide you with the solutions you need. Each one of our plumbing service members is an experienced professional. Let us deal with this plumbing problem for you. Once your new pipe is installed or your old pipe is repaired, you can once again enjoy a properly functioning plumbing system.

Photo By jjn